Where Is My Mind?
by Noniona
Summary: Jennifer has just been assigned a new therapist at Arkham. But when he reveals some startling news about her past, and he suddenly finds himself as a patient rather than a doctor, how will things change? Includes our beloved Joker as a key character. Rated for language, dark themes and sexual situations.
1. Chapter 1 Jennifer Aiken

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter One**

"So, how are you feeling today?" Dr. Crane examined his new patient over his wire-framed glasses. He used the cliche opening question to make her feel comfortable. There was no use scaring her in the first five minutes. She shifted slightly, uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. This was her first session with Dr. Crane. Since she first started going to therapy sessions two years ago she had been dealing with Dr. Casler, but Crane couldn't wait any longer. He'd read her file. He had to have her. _**WE had to have her, Johnny..**_

_Yes, yes. WE had to have her. How could I forget you? _He thought bitterly, aimed towards his ever-present other half.

_**I like this one. She's pretty.**_

_Her appearance has nothing to do with what we're trying to achieve here._

_**Oh admit it, Johnny boy, you noticed it as soon as she came in. The quiet reserve. It's arousing. For both of us.**_

_I have no idea what you're-_

_**You forget. I'm in your head. There's nothing you think that I don't notice..**_

_I will admit that her appearance is-_

_**I want to play with her, Johnny.**_

_You'll get your chance._

_**I want to play with her NOW, Johnny. Why fight to be her doctor if you're not gonna make the most of it?**_

_Please shut up. We'll discuss this at a later time._

His other half growled but remained silent. The patient was sat quietly, waiting for him to respond to whatever she had said. _I have no idea what she said.. _He improvised.

"And how are things at home? With your parents?"

She perked up at the mention of her parents.

_**Of course she did,** _his other half mocked.

Jonathan had to admit, her file was the most interesting file he'd ever read. There was a plethora of unique and, frankly, enigmatic patients at Arkham Asylum, but he'd never seen anything quite like this one. Jennifer Aiken. 20 years old. Very intelligent. She had started therapy with Dr. Casler after a rather.. unique situation two years ago. Dr. Crane had heard a lot about her, had gone to a lot of trouble to steal her files and find out more about her when she first arrived, and had observed her from a distance. He had been looking forward to this session since it was confirmed two weeks ago that she would become his patient. It was a very near-miss. He was being investigated for his unorthodox examinations, but at the moment he had that under control. Dr. Penrose thought there would be no harm in giving him another patient. Particularly one so unusual and resistant to change.

"I hope the transition has not been too uncomfortable for you?"

"Transition?"

"You were with Dr. Casler for two years. It must be unusual to suddenly have a new doctor."

"Oh. Well, it's a bit unusual, I guess. But he told me a lot about you. Said you were a very, erm, a very thorough doctor. He said I'd be in safe hands." She smiled slightly.

"Well, he was correct."

_**She'll be in your hands at the very least**_

_Shut up!_

"So, Dr. Casler informed me that you have a rather restricted lifestlyle. Could you elaborate?"

"Erm, well, I just stay at home mostly."

"Apparently you do not leave the house." It wasn't a question, but she felt she had to answer anyway.

"I have to leave the house, to come here for my sessions. But, I suppose, no. I don't like leaving the house. I haven't left in almost two years, apart from coming here of course."

"I see." He scribbled something in the notepad in front of him, before turning back to face her. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, preferring to quietly examine her. His exterior remained calm and collected. but to her it seemed arrogant and imposing.

"So, describe your daily routine."

"Erm, well, I wake up. Get ready. Have my breakfast-"

"Where?"

"In the living room. My mom brings it for me."

"I see. Continue."

"I come here, have my session, and go home."

"And you do what?"

"I talk to my parents, in the living room. About how their days have been. And then I go to bed.. rinse and repeat."

"I see." She wished he'd stop saying that.

"Why does your mother bring you your food?"

"I had an accident, two years ago. I had an injured ankle. It still hurts when I walk so my mother insists on bringing me my food. I know how childish it sounds. But there's no arguing with my mother."

_**This is brilliant. She has a complete block in her mind.**_

_I've never seen anything quite like it.._

He wrote a small note on the notepad, and then examined her again. She was wearing dark blue jeans, converse, and a plain green t-shirt. It matched her eyes, which stood out against her remarkably pale skin. After two years of remaining indoors the paleness was to be expected. Her brown hair was pulled up into a quick ponytail. She looked at him uncertainly. Dr. Casler had never looked at her like he was. A laugh echoed in her head and her eyes shifted slightly out of focus. Jonathan sat up straighter, recognising the expression immediately. _Interesting_..

"So, what did you cover in your sessions with Dr. Casler?"

"I saw him for two years.. there wasn't much we _didn't _cover."

Jonathan's mouth twitched slightly. _**Sharp tongue.**_

_She was just pointing out the obvious._

_**What I'd do with that tongue..**_

_You're vulgar._

_**You created me.**_

Twenty minutes later and the session had just finished. He was resting on the windowsill, chewing on the end of his glasses. He was amazed. He'd never seen a crazy like her. She had completely blocked out the incident. Pretended it didn't happen. Pretended? Or had genuinely forgotten? It was pretty hard to forget something like that though.. The police had found her wandering the streets, covered in blood. That wasn't something that slipped anyones mind, even one as fucked up as hers. He loved the fucked up ones. They were always the most fun. His other half had spent most of the session grinning from ear to ear. They'd hit the jackpot. The experiments they could perform.. Oh the possibilities were endless. No one would believe a word she said. He had to admit she was well educated, which made a nice change to the thick-skulled patients he usually dealt with. They'd spent the last twenty minutes discussing Shakespeare, which made his other half very impatient.

_**When can we make our move, Johnny?**_

_I want to make her comfortable first. Lull her into a false sense of security._

_**Good plan. Then we can give her cookies and milk, and sing campfire songs.**_

_It IS a good plan-_

_**Why not do it now? No one will listen to a headcase like her. We have free reign here, Johnny boy. That doesn't happen very often. Like I said, I want to play-**_

_You'll have your chance to play with her. But I want to know more about her first. There are academic possibilities here aswell. This is a truly unique case. I would like to know more about it._

_**Uh, you and your academics. I. Don't. Give. A. Fuck. You know I'll force you if I have to.**_

_Relax, you won't have to wait long._

His other half retreated, still not satisfied, but currently more occupied with remembering what their new patient was wearing earlier. Jonathan took the opportunity to think of a plan. When Miss. Aiken had first arrived two years ago the entire staff board had buzzed with excitement. They had heard about her case, and were all very disappointed when Dr. Casler was assigned to her. Dr. Casler. The middle-aged, balding, pathetic excuse for a doctor. He'd spent the last ten years completely _relying _on cliches to get him through his sessions. As far as Jonathan knew, he hadn't helped any patient. If anything he'd made them worse. Put anyone in a room with Casler and they'd be banging their head against a wall after the first five minutes. A knock at the door interrupted his train of thought. He put his glasses back on, sighed, and opened the door expecting to see one of the many incompetent so-called doctors that worked at the Asylum. He was surprised to, instead, see Officer Marks stood in the doorway. "Doctor Crane?"

"Yes? Can I help you?"

"Could I come in please?"

"Of course," he said, trying to hide his annoyance as the police officer made himself at home on the Freudian couch. With his shoes up on the coffee table. Jonathan gritted his teeth and sat at his desk.

"So, are you interested in an appointment?" He tried to ignore the blatant disregard for simple etiquette. "I'm rather busy, officer."

"Of course. I apologise. Well, I'll get right down to it then. You know you have been under review by the board here at Arkham?"

"I am aware."

"Well, they've passed the case onto the Gotham PD."

"I'm sorry, they've _what_?" His eyes widened and he gripped his desk firmly, trying to prevent his other half from bursting forwards. He was _furious_.

"The review has turned into an official police investigation."

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

I've wanted to write a Scarecrow fic for a **long **time, and have finally managed to come up with a storyline. Review and tell me what you think! :)


	2. Chapter 2 Scarecrow

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Two**

It was a month after their first meeting. Jonathan had arranged sessions with Miss Aiken every day. Mostly to occupy himself while the police investigation continued but also to try to find out more about his patient. Their sessions were pretty straightforward. They talked about her daily routine, which didn't change, and sometimes their favourite authors. He kept up the facade of actually being interested, and she seemed to buy it. The truth was he was pissed off. It had taken him two years to get her case, and now he couldn't do anything of value. At least in his eyes. The whole reason for his pursuit of Miss Aiken was to experiment on her. Experiment using _his _methods. Well, his and his other half's. But with the police watching his every move he couldn't risk doing anything. He had lost sleep. His hair was slightly messy, only noticeable to those who paid close attention.

He was currently in another session with his newest patient. She seemed completely oblivious to what had happened two years ago, and it was really starting to get on Jonathan's nerves. His other half had decided that _he'd _had enough two weeks ago, but Jonathan had managed to keep him at bay, for now. He had noticed that she spent the same amount of time in her head as he did. He had theories for that, but none that he had disclosed just yet. The way she looked at him suggested a deeper understanding- that perhaps she didn't say everything she was thinking. It intrigued Jonathan. His hand tapped his pen against the desk impatiently. When was she going to realise what was going on? He glanced up to see that Miss Aiken had stopped talking.

_When did that happen.._

_**How the fuck should I know?**_

His other half had been particularly short with him since the announcement of the investigation. It did nothing to help Jonathan's mood. He cleared his throat.

"So, have you moved forward with our plan?"

"Plan?"

"The homework assignment I set you. To get out of the house every once in a while."

"Oh.. no. I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

"You manage to make it here everyday."

"Well, that's a routine. It's easy to do something you're familiar with."

"Maybe it's time to make a new routine." He couldn't disguise the annoyance in his voice.

"I.. it's not that simple."

"And why is that?"

"Because it's _not_. You don't understand."

"The point of these sessions is to make me understand, so I can _help you_." The last two words were said with an unmistakeable amount of disdain. He really was pissed off now. She wasn't even trying to make any headway, why should he help her? Okay, why should he _pretend_ to help her?

"I am trying, you know, Doctor Crane."

_**Let me out Johnny**_

_No_

"I don't think you _are _trying, _Jennifer_."

_**I'll make her try**_

"It's not as simple as just walking out the front door."

"In what way is it not that simple?"

_**You CAN'T ignore me Johnny boy**_

_Will you shut up?_

"I can't even enter most of the rooms in my house. How am I supposed to go outside?"

"Oh, of course. You're such a recluse you can't even stand the interior of your _own home_."

Jennifer could sense the disdain in his tone. "I.. Excuse me?"

_**I'll make her scream**_

"You walk from your bedroom, to the bathroom, to the living room. Rinse. And. Repeat."

_**You like it when they scream**_

"I think I should go." She stood, trying very hard to stand her ground as Jonathan sprung up too.

"Why should you go? We were making some real progress here." Jennifer stood still for a few seconds, her eyes not focusing on anything in particular. It was an expression Jonathan knew only too well. "What are you doing when you look like that?" he asked, moving closer.

_**Johnny..**_

"..I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do. Don't play stupid with me. You're one of the few people in this place with actual intelligence, despite your fucked up mind. Now _tell me_."

"I wasn't doing anything!" Jennifer was getting scared now, her expression flitting between fear and the out-of-focus expression. Scarecrow growled with appreciation.

_**I like the fear. Let me out!**_

"You're having a conversation, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not!" Jonathan had stalked closer to her, now only inches away. She was trapped between him and the wall behind her. Painted in cream. Every office in Arkham was _cream_.

"Who are you talking to?"

"I'm talking to you. Now please move, and let me out."

"I don't think I'm going to do that."

_**JOHNNY!**_

In a flash his hands flew up, gripped Jennifer's and pinned her to the wall. He moved closer, his expression changing from one of anger to one of obvious glee and lust. He looked her up and down greedily, before looking back up, savouring the pure fear on her face.

"I've wanted _this _for a _long _time," he said quietly, ignoring Jonathan who was currently in his head trying to convince him to do nothing stupid. Something about police investigations and unnecessary baggage. Not important.

"You're.. you're not Jonathan." She saw it immediately. He had to praise her for that.

"No, I'm not. Clever girl."

"Who are you?"

"I'm his better half. Now, be a good girl and tell me: who were you talking to?"

"No one."

He tutted disapprovingly. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to lie to bad men?"

"My.. my mother.." her eyes shifted again.

"Oh, but of course, how _silly _of me. She's dead."

"What? No, no, she's not. I.. I saw her this morning."

"Still dead."

Jennifer looked at him, her eyes becoming red with unshed tears. She knew, deep down. Something was telling her that he was right. She had always known.. deep down..

He moved closer to her, his blue eyes burning with joy. He loved this. The fear, the uncertainty. It was so _raw_, so _pure_. He silently congratulated Johnny boy on choosing this one.

"You _killed _her, remember?"

"No," she was quiet now. Almost silent. He moved closer, his nose an inch from hers.

"_Yes_," he hissed gleefully. "You killed her. And your daddy too. Gotham's finest found you covered in your parent's blood."

"You're lying. I.. I see them every day.." But suddenly she seemed less sure.

Scarecrow laughed. A joyful laughter than hurt her ears. She winced. "You don't get it, do you? Poor Jennifer. Poor, needy, _vulnerable _Jennifer. All alone." He was pressed against her now, his hips grinding against hers. "You killed them, and then couldn't live with it. So you Blocked. It. Out. Told yourself it didn't happen. You were brought here after they found you, locked you up in maximum security under Dr. Casler's care. Every day you'd wake up in your cell, _convinced _it was your bedroom. Your nurse would bring you your food. You're too dangerous to be allowed to go to the cafeteria. Take pride in that. Then you'd come here, have your session, and go back to your cell, and talk to yourself, utterly sure that you were talking to your parents. It's quite sad really."  
Jennifer was crying freely now, tears running down her face. Scarecrow couldn't tell whether she was still listening. He didn't like that. He gripped her wrists tighter, making her yelp with pain.

"You're lying," she managed to whisper.

"Oh, honey, even I couldn't make up something so fucking glorious. Jennifer Aiken. 159 Mulholland Avenue." His mouth moved to her ear. "Think about it. Do you ever remember actually travelling home? No. Your cell is two floors up in the elevator. How would your fucked up mind explain that? It can't. So you block it out. You leave this office, and next thing you know, you're home. Convenient." He moved back from her ear, to look in her eyes. They were brimming with more tears, and she was shaking in his grasp. It was delicious. He noticed her lips moving slightly and realised she was muttering 'No, no, no' under her breath.

"You're as fucked up as Johnny. Two peas in one crazy little pod."

Her eyes closed tightly, possibly trying to block out his voice. He tightened his grip again.

"You killed them. Didn't you?"

"No."

"Didn't you?"

"_No_."

"You killed them!" He pressed himself against her as forcefully as he could. "Jenny, Jenny, is so pretty, but fucked up in the head. She stabbed her mommy and her daddy, and now they are both_dead_." He giggled.

"NO!" Her eyes flew open and suddenly her expression changed. Something, deep inside, had clicked. Perhaps it was the mention of her address, or perhaps it was Scarecrow's taunting, but something pushed her over the edge. Casler had never told her the truth. The doctors were all too afraid of what the truth could do to her mind. It could destroy her. But that's what Scarecrow wanted anyway. "I.. I remember." Her voice was small, but there was a certain conviction in it. Her face had shifted, from fear to downright horror. It had clicked.

"Do you now? What do you remember?"

"She.. she did it."

"_You_ did it."

"_No_ _I didn't_. She.. she's in my head. She's in my head." She muttered incomprehensibly. "She did it, and I couldn't do anything to stop it." She sobbed, biting her lip to stop herself from completely losing control.

_**Seems like you were right. Well done Johnny**_

_I knew she had to suffer from some sort of multiple personality disorder. The way her eyes would move out of focus. I do the same thing.._

"She did what?" Scarecrow asked, cutting off Jonathan's musings.

"She killed them. Both of them. She fucking killed them! I got the blame. I got the blame. 'Poor little Jenny. Flipped out and killed her parents. She seemed like such a nice girl. But it's always the quiet ones'.." She really was rambling now. Scarecrow grinned.

"Mm, I concur." He retreated back into Jonathan's mind, allowing him to take the wheel.

"I assume you understand your little confession?" Jonathan asked, almost whispering, his hands still gripped tightly around Jennifer's wrists. She was frozen for a second, before raising her eyes to meet his. Scarecrow's arousal, joined with his, was no laughing matter at that moment. It was almost aching, and Jennifer's pained expression, the realisation of the truth after two years of delusion, was almost enough to make him explode. He let her go, and she sunk to the floor, hugging her knees up to her chest. Jonathan looked down on her for a second, before straightening his glasses and sitting back at his desk. He clicked his pen and opened his notepad.

"How long have you had multiple personalities?" Perhaps ignoring the arousal would make it go away.. "Or perhaps it is Schizophrenia?"

Jennifer stayed silent for a moment. "The first time it happened was when.. when she killed them. That's the first time she came forward properly."

"Properly?"

"I'd hear her voice in my head, before she did it. I always ignored her."

"Hmm, that seldom works."

For the next ten minutes they sat in silence. Jennifer was staring into the distance, ocassionally wiping the tears from her eyes. She had never looked so vulnerable. Jonathan had a hard time concentrating. He wrote down several notes on which toxins would work best for her. She had a lot of fear bottled up inside her. Both he and Scarecrow were desperate to set it loose.

_**Imagine her screaming**_

_Now really isn't the best time. _He hated how Scarecrow insisted on torturing him. He was aroused. More than he had been for a long time. The last thing he needed was another imaginary scenario. Scarecrow cackled in his head.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

I've re-written this chapter three times, and it still doesn't seem right.. but I suppose anything that I've missed can be added later on. I still haven't come up with a name for Jenny's other half. Any suggestions? Please review :)


	3. Chapter 3 Incarceration

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Three**

Jonathan sat in the interrogation room, looking a little worse for wear. It had been two hours since his delightful, tell-all session with Jennifer and a lot had happened in that time. The investigation was about to come to a close. Jonathan didn't want to admit it to himself but he'd realised as soon as Officer Marks had announced the investigation that he was going to be arrested. His days were numbered. The last month had been a mess of interrogations and imposing detectives. He had been allowed to keep the patients he already had, mostly to avoid the extra paperwork involved in transferring the patients to other doctors. This was the reason he'd been able to terrorise Miss. Aiken in their session just a few hours ago. With a small smirk he wondered how she was coping. Everything she had known, everything she had trusted in for two years had just been torn away from her.

_**Courtesy of me.**_

_Yes. I have to admit, I wasn't sure that exposing the truth so soon would be a good idea. However, her reaction-_

_**Was fucking beautiful.**_

_It was interesting._

_**She's fucking insane. We can have so much fun with her..**_

_Need I remind you that we are about to be charged with god knows what? At what point should I ask them to send Miss. Aiken in for one last experiment? _He asked sarcastically.

_**They think you're crazy too, Johnny. If only they knew how true that was. All you have to do is let me out for a while. They'll realise what we're like, and it'll be a one-way trip back to Arkham. With poor little Jennifer.**_

After she left, still in tears, and thirty minutes sooner than she should have, Jonathan had received a tip off from one of the guards that the police were closing in. With great effort, on his part, he had destroyed most of his toxins. Years of research- gone. But he couldn't have anyone finding it. Not his research. He'd die before he handed his work over to these slack-jawed cops. He had acted just in time. He had barely poured the last one down the sink in the corner of his office when Officer Marks and Detective Gordon had arrived, holding handcuffs and clearly there for him.

Now here he was. In a small interrogation room. Cream walls, of course. Leaning against the back of the chair with his eyes half closed in thought. His hair was messier, and his glasses had slipped further down his nose but he didn't care. He just wanted this ridiculously delayed investigation to end.

* * *

On the other side of the glass Officer Marks and Detective Gordon stood with their arms folded, watching Jonathan lean back in his chair, mumbling to himself.

"We've had three patients come forward so far. But the files in his office.. There must have been more than fifty that had been altered in some way- extra notes, his own psychotic writings," Gordon said thoughtfully.

"Does anyone know exactly what he was doing yet?"

"No. And we probably never will. A patient's word will only go so far. Most of them have it in for their doctors anyway. But we have enough. A few guards have admitted to being paid off by him. God knows what kind of sick experiments he'd been conducting."

"I hear Doctor Penrose is conducting the psychotic evaluation?"

"Yeah. He should be here soon."

"Come on, look at him. He's freaking nuts."

"Well, I agree. But you can't lock someone in Arkham with the excuse 'They're freaking nuts'. It has to be done by the book. This evaluation will be the difference between an incarceration at Arkham, or an incarceration at Blackgate Prison."

By the time Penrose arrived Jonathan was teetering on the edge of sanity, closer than he'd ever been. Scarecrow was doing nothing to help matters, throwing words and phrases around in his head, doing his best to break his mind before the evaluation. He knew as well as Jonathan did, they'd prefer Arkham to Blackgate. Sure, it was still in a circle of hell, but at least at Arkham you didn't have to share your room. They'd be doing that anyway: A disadvantage of having two people in one head. If there was one thing he couldn't understand it was why it had taken them so long to realise what he was up to. True, he had tried to hide it as best as he could, but it still wasn't completely hidden. The facts were there if anyone had bothered to look. A true testament to the intelligence of Gotham's finest.

_**Just act a little whacko for them, Johnny**_

_No. I'm not giving them more ammunition_

_**They have a metaphorical freaking army base full of ammunition. You didn't cover your tracks well enough. You knew this day would come. Just let me handle this**_

_Like you handled Miss. Aiken this afternoon?_

Scarecrow shivered with pleasure at the memory. _**You enjoyed that just as much as me. She needed to know the truth. Pretending her parents were alive. It was pathetic. What she did to them.. She should embrace it, not ignore it **_

_I agree, but I shouldn't have let you out then, and I'm NOT letting you out now._

_**Do I have to hurt you, Johnny?**_

Jonathan felt a sharp stab on his head, and a feeling of dread washed through him. The last time Scarecrow had really wanted to get out, and Jonathan had point-blank refused, Scarecrow had created a blinding pain in his mind that had caused him to black out in agony. He didn't want that again. He sighed and slowly retreated, allowing Scarecrow to creep to the forefront with a grin. He'd make sure that these cops knew exactly how crazy little Johnny was.

* * *

Jennifer sat on the edge of her bed, looking around, almost fearfully. Was this really where she had spent the last two years of her life? In this little cell? The walls were white. Blinding white. Except the wall to her right, which was an entire panel of glass with the glass door in the centre. The entire room had a feeling of familiarity about it that Jennifer didn't want to admit to. A small white wardrobe stood against the wall opposite her bed. She stood slowly, and opened it. It was exactly the same as the wardrobe she had seen every day for the past two years. A few pairs of jeans and t-shirts hung on the left, with two orange jumpsuits on the right. She sat back down, not bothering to shut the wardrobe door. It didn't seem real. It felt like a dream. Almost as though she was floating above her body, looking down into the room. Two years. Two years of her life- living a complete lie. She let out a small sob and bit her lip. Tears threatened to fall and she layed down on her bed- white again, of course. She stared at the wall, letting the tears flow freely. What was next? How was she going to cope in this place? A small laugh echoed in her head and she sobbed again, willing herself to sleep before her other half could move forward.

* * *

The door of the interrogation room slammed shut, and Penrose leaned against it, breathless with his glasses comically twisted almost vertically. He straightened them and tried to get his breath back. In the room behind him he could still hear the shouting and snarling as Scarecrow tried to avoid the nurses with needles full of sedative. Halfway through the evaluation Jonathan had started laughing uncontrollably, before jumping up and trying to attack Penrose. He had taunted him, tried to claw at him, before Gordon alerted the nurses. Speaking of Gordon.. he rounded the corner, trying not to laugh at Penrose's dishevelled appearance.

"So?" He asked expectantly.

"He's freaking nuts!" he gasped, not realising he was quoting Officer Marks who nodded triumphantly in agreement. "The last time I saw something like that was when they first brought Jennifer Aiken in!"

"Hmm, he appears to be suffering from some sort of multiple personality?"  
"Yes." Penrose straightened, trying to regain his composure but still slightly breathless. "He needs to be admitted to Arkham. Immediately."

"I agree. Officer Marks? Alert Arkham. Let them know that Doctor Crane will be joining them, as a patient."

Marks nodded and rushed out of the room.

"Speaking of Jennifer Aiken.. I hear she has had quite a breakthrough?" Gordon asked curiously. The entire police department had heard about her case. Gordon himself was one of the police officers that found her that night.

"Apparently she has suddenly remembered everything. I have no idea _how_, but there you go. It was Crane himself who helped her remember apparently. Although god knows what he actually _said_.."

He paused as the shouts came to an abrupt halt, before continuing. "She left his office, and her nurse-"

"Roberts?"

"Yes. He expected the walk back to her cell to be in silence. It always was because, of course, she blocked it out. But she started talking to him! Clear as day, not under any illusion. Asking how long she had been there, whether she shared a cell.. It was remarkable. Roberts said he almost passed out from shock."

"I bet. So what now?"

"Well, I need to examine her. Determine whether she's still a threat.."

"'Threat' is an understatement. You remember that night as well as I do."

"Well, yes, but Casler had some interesting theories, including one in which Jennifer has multiple personalities, or perhaps schizophrenia. If that's true then we cannot keep her confined in maximum security forever. Technically we'd be punishing the wrong person."

"Hmm, I understand. Well, it was nice seeing you again Doctor Penrose."

"You too Jim."

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

Another chapter that feels frustratingly unfinished. Hmm. Good stuff next chapter when Jennifer comes to terms with being in Arkham ;)

Thanks so much to my story followers, and to indiabrittany for the review. I promise to update as often as I can :) Reviews help improve the story guys, please review when you've finished :)


	4. Chapter 4 Edward

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Four**

Jenny woke with a start and almost fell out of bed before she could get her bearings. She sat up, eyes blurry with sleep, and looked around. The room was light, it must've been after dawn at least- although the whiteness of the walls and furniture meant that it was almost impossible for the room to ever truly be dark. She wondered how long she had been asleep. She had come back to the cell at 3pm, and then must've cried until she fell asleep. The nurse that escorted her back to her cell had told her that the patients wake up at 7am. She must've slept for at least 15 hours. She moved and sat on the edge of the bed, unsure of what to do. She wasn't looking forward to her first day in Arkham. Well, that obviously wasn't true. Her first day that she _knew _about. A buzzing noise filled the cell, and the hallway outside and the lights flickered on, creating an almost blue luminescent glow. She shielded her eyes for a second, before looking to her right at the cell opposite. It was empty. She didn't particularly care for the layout of this block. The glass front of each cell meant that you could see directly into the cell opposite your own, and a few either side at an angle. Thankfully the toilet was hidden in an indent in the wall. She heard the shouts and rumbles of the patients getting ready for their showers and glanced at the steady wave of orange jumpsuits that passed her cell. Almost all of them looked in. Some curiously, others practically leering. The rumour that Aiken had remembered everything had apparently spread fast. All of them were handcuffed. She reminded herself that this was a maximum security wing and hung her head to prevent eye contact. The last thing she needed was to make an unnecessary enemy on her first, official, day. She waited, unsure. Should she stand up? Move to the back of the cell to show that she wasn't dangerous? Instead she stayed where she was.

When the rumble of the inmates had died down to nothing she looked up to see Nurse Roberts unlocking the cell door. She jumped to her feet, happy to see at least one familiar face.

"Hey, how you holding up?" he asked. He was wearing a light blue uniform. His hair was short, and a mousy brown, and his eyes were a dark brown. He was attractive.. at least according to Jenny's other half who nodded appreciatively.

"I'm okay, I guess," she said slowly.

"Must be scary huh? Okay, so here's what's gonna happen. You're the only woman on this wing, so you'll get to shower alone. Which must be a relief, right? Breakfast is at 8am to 9am in the cafeteria. There's no segregation between wings. Everyone goes at the same time, although some maximum security prisoners have escorts. Unfortunately there's no more getting food in your cell. Penrose has decided you're okay to mingle, so you'll be a regular patient, inmate, whatever, from here on out," he said. It was a friendly tone, but the thought of having to mix with the other patients was doing nothing for Jennifer's nerves. She grabbed the towel hanging from the side of the wardrobe and an orange jumpsuit after Roberts told her she'd need it and followed him down the corridor. She glanced left and right as they went, looking into the cells and seeing the same setup as hers.

"Uh, what kind of people are in this section? Wing, sorry."

"Well, there's Thomas Elliot. Harvey Dent. Bane. Sal Maroni used to be there but he managed to pull a few strings. Simon Hurt. Garfield Lynns. Jervis Tetch.."

Jennifer tried to stay calm. That was a lot of names. She may have been delusional for two years but even she still recognised most of them. "Are all of the cells occupied?"

"Most of them, yeah. If there's empty cells it usually means they're in solitary. Especially in wing D."

"So the cell opposite mine..?"

"Yep. Solitary."

They reached the end of the corridor, and Roberts walked through the door to the side of the elevators. They entered another corridor, similar but with no glass-fronted cells. A door halfway down was marked 'Women' with a small shower symbol and Roberts opened the door, bowing elaborately with a smile on his face.

"I'll be right out here if you need anything. There's toiletries inside for you."

She thanked him with a small smile and walked in. The room was large, with grey tiling. Shower heads poked out from the walls at regular intervals. A small grateful burst shot through her. She couldn't imagine having to shower with other people in there. She showered quickly, grateful for the isolation. When she was done she quickly dressed in plain underwear and zipped up the jumpsuit. Roberts was where she had left him and smiled as she exited.

"Well don't you scrub up nice? That must've been refreshing, huh?"

"It was," she smiled, grateful that she had a nice nurse instead of a Nurse Ratchett-type. Her other half reminded her of something she'd thought of whilst showering. "Uh, why did I have to wait until the guys had showered before I could? Surely it wouldn't matter if I'm in a different shower room."

"Ah, that's a one-time thing. The guys are pretty excited at the thought of you coming back down to earth. Penrose thought it'd be best to separate you a bit, just for today's showers."

"Oh, right."

"The layout here is prety simple, but it might take a bit of getting used to. Think of it like a big square," he started to explain, with the tone of someone who had said this many times. "The walls of the square are the cells and the cell corridors. Each 'wall' is a wing. There are four wings. Each one is obviously only one corridor. Yours is D block; maximum security. B and C are medium security, that's where pretty much everyone is, apart from the really dangerous ones." Jennifer felt uneasy at the thought of being considered a 'really dangerous' prisoner. Her other half felt proud.

"..Wing A is always empty. Right now you're one of only three women at Arkham by the way, patient-wise. Anyway, a door from each wing leads to the corresponding wing's shower rooms. The centre of the square contains two rooms: the cafeteria, and the rec room. The cafeteria is only open at breakfast, lunch and dinner, but the rec room is open from 8am 'till 8pm. That's where most of them hang out. I'll come for you for your sessions, but apart from that your day is pretty much yours to do as you please. The offices are on the floors above, but don't worry about that. Like I said, I escort you to your sessions. Solitary confinement is below us, but you shouldn't have to worry about that either."

Jennifer tried to wrap her head around it. "Okay."

They made their way to a smaller corridor. "It's.." Roberts looked at his watch, "8:15 now. Most of them will just be starting breakfast. Best thing to do is jump in with both feet. Don't start fights, don't antagonise people.. and you should be fine." He gave her a reassuring smile. It didn't help. He led her to the door of the cafeteria where he smiled again, and watched before walking away as she took a deep breath to steady herself, and entered.

* * *

The room was painted white. She wondered if there was some sort of research that suggested white as a calming colour for the mentally ill. She couldn't see how anyone could come to that conclusion. Tables, grey in colour were set out in uniform lines. Along the right hand wall was the cafeteria line, where the cooks were stood behind a normal, cafe/buffet type display, and were filling the patient's trays with what looked like porridge. The room, which sounded loud and boisterous from outside seemed to become muted, as she entered. People looked up from their food to watch her as she slowly made her way over to the cafeteria line. One guy had completely forgotten about his spoon which was currently tilting in front of his mouth, and jumped as the contents of the spoon fell onto the table. She ignored the hundreds of eyes that felt as though they were burning into her soul. The sound slowly returned to normal, and as she waited in line with her tray she risked a quick look around the cafeteria. Several people were still staring at her, but the intensity of their gazes did not feel as harsh as it did when she first entered. Clearly she was already getting used to it. The line moved forward. One guy, sat on his own at a table in the corner, watched her with an unsual curiosity. His hair was a bright orange, it matched his jumpsuit. She smiled at the matching colour and, remembering Roberts' advice about not antagonising people, quickly looked down to hide it. When she looked up he was still gazng across at her, through the small sea of murderers and psychopaths. She locked eyes with him and quickly looked away, focusing on how lumpy the porridge looked. After filling her tray and turning back around she realised with a pang of dismay, that there was no where to sit except at the table with the red-head. He was still the only one sitting there, and she wondered whether he was dangerous. Her other half pointed out that he didn't seem to have an escort. She braced herself, and made her way over.

He watched as she approached, hesitated, and then sat opposite him. After a few minutes of awkward silence she looked up from her porridge.

"Hi," she said, trying to smile warmly. She was sure it looked more like a psycho smile.. which would obviously fit in well. "I'm Jennifer." The man looked at her over his spoon.

"I know who you are." His voice was low.

"Oh. Okay. Well, you have me at a disadvantage."

"Introducing yourself and then saying you're at a disadvantage suggests you assumed I was going to introduce myself. I never gave you that impression."  
Jennifer had to agree, but with a small burst of confidence she realised that his attitude was not agreeable. "Well, I'm sorry but from the look you gave me earlier I assumed you _wanted _to introduce yourself." This caught his attention. He smiled and put down his spoon. For a second Jennifer thought maybe she had already made an enemy, and her heart dropped. After a minute of presumably sizing her up his gaze softened slightly.

"Edward."

After a pause Jennifer realised he had introduced himself, and couldn't help the grin that spread across her face.

"It's nice to meet you Edward."

"Likewise, Jennifer."

"So, how long have you been here?"

"So you can pretend you're interested?"

"I am interested."

"Making friends to help you when you make enemies?"

"_'When'? _Surely it's 'if'?"

"You're not naive enough to think that you're not going to make enemies. This is _Arkham_. Everyone makes enemies here."

".. You're right.. Still, I am genuinely interested." Edward hesitated, before clearly coming to a decision.

"I've been here for three years."

"One longer than me."

"Technically you haven't been here."

"I'm sorry?"

"Well, _you _were. But your mind wasn't."

"I guess that's true."

"It is."

Jennifer smiled. She liked him.

"Do you like puzzles?" He asked suddenly, as though a thought had just popped into his head.

"I'm sorry?"

"Puzzles. Riddles. Tricks. Mysteries. Conundrums. Do you like them?"

"I suppose I do. Yes."

He smiled and leaned forwards over the table. "You approach two talking doors. One door leads to the City of Truth, while the other door leads to the City of Liars. You do not know which door is which. You are able to ask only one question to determine which door is which. The door that leads to the City of Liars always speaks lies, while the door that leads to the City of Truth always speaks the truth. You want to go to the City of Truth. What question do you ask to determine which door leads to the City of Truth?" Jennifer narrowed her eyes in concentration, and after a second grinned triumphantly.

"I'd ask a door: "Do both doors lead to the city of truth?" If it says no, it's the truth door. If it says yes, it's the liars' door."

Edward almost jumped up with glee. "No one's ever managed to get that so quickly. You're smart."

Jennifer felt herself blush self-consciously, "That's subjective."

"True. And I say you are. Well done, Jennifer."

"Thank you, Edward." She smiled but stopped as Edward looked behind her, shock written all over his face.

"Wha-" she started, but he nodded behind her, towards the door, and she turned to see Jonathan Crane, stood in the doorway in an orange jumpsuit.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

I like Edward :3 I'm not 100% on which direction I'm going to take with this story just yet, so if you guys have any suggestions or ideas feel free to tell me :) Very important character is going to get introduced soon though ;) Please review :D


	5. Chapter 5 Rec Room

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Five**

Jennifer sat in her cell, staring at the wardrobe, and thought back to the cafeteria at breakfast.

The room had fallen silent again. It was like de ja vu. Edward was staring, his mouth open in shock, and Jennifer suspected that she looked similarly ridiculous. Jonathan stood for a second in the doorway, seemingly enjoying the reaction, his lips twitching before looking around the cafeteria and noticing Jennifer sat on the table in the corner. His eyebrows lifted in amusement, and perhaps shock, before he moved to the cafeteria line. The sound level slowly rose, and Jennifer turned back to Edward.

"Wha.." She couldn't even finish. The last time she saw Jonathan he had pinned her against the wall and had completely destroyed her reality.

"So it's true. Huh." Edward mused.

"_What's _true?"

"Some of the guys said that Crane had finally been found out for his experiments. He was arrested yesterday, and apparently the teacher has become the student." He grinned, obviously happy with the outcome.

"Experiments?"

"Yeah, come on. You didn't know?" He looked at her in disbelief before explaining what he knew. Jennifer listened, shocked. She knew there was something.. _off _about him, and after yesterday's encounter Edward's revelation shouldn't have surprised her as much as it did.

"So, he's been doing this for years?"

Edward had another spoon of porridge. "Yup."

"Fuck," she whispered, more to herself than him.

Edward grinned. "Jennifer? Did you just profane at me?"

"Indeed I did." He chuckled.

She turned around, but couldn't see him in the crowd. He had looked different. She couldn't put her finger on it, and it wasn't just the fact that he was wearing an orange jumpsuit in place of his usual smart suit. His hair was messy, in a way that suggested that he'd run his hands through it numerous times. She sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about the strange turn of events, before Edward pulled her out of her silent reflection.

"So who was your doctor?"

"..huh?"

"Who was your doctor?" he smiled at her lack of concentration.

"Uh, Crane."

"_Crane _was your doctor?"

"For the last month or so, yes."

"Did he ever experiment on you?"

"No. Although, he was the one who told me the truth. About what I'd done.."

"Bastard. Well, let's hope you don't run into him, huh?"

"Yeah.. well, I better get going."

"Oh yeah? You got a business meeting or something?" She giggled again.

"I just need to get it straight in my mind that my ex-doctor is a psychopath. It kinda makes the last month of therapy moot."

"I guess it does. Well, maybe I'll see you in the rec room later?"

"I might pop in at some point." She smiled as she stood up.

"Nice talking to you, Jennifer."

"You too, Edward."

* * *

Now here she was, sat in her cell, wondering what on earth was going to happen next. The last time they were in the same room together he'd attacked her.

_**HE didn't**_

_Okay, but a part of him did_

_**Curious, that when it concerns me and you, you insist that we're seperate, yet when it comes to Crane and his 'Better Half' they're both the same. Double standards?**_

_It's different. He seemed to let that other half come forward. I never want you to come forward-_

_**I'm hurt. Anyway, I like him**_

_Crane or his 'Better Half'?_

_**Both have their perks. Although his Better Half has the edge. Something about the way he held us..**_

Jennifer quickly stopped the conversation, trying to shake the memory from her head. She didn't want Crane to get what he wanted. He enjoyed her fear yesterday. She refused to let that happen again. Being locked up in an asylum with patients that you've conducted illegal experiments on must be scary for him. Shame. If he could still scare her then that might make him think he still had power. There was no way that was going to happen.

_**I don't understand why you keep ignoring me**_

_Please leave me alone. I'd had more than enough of your promiscuous thoughts for one day._

_**Why are you acting like such a prude? You liked the way it felt when he held us. Hypocrite.**_

_I am NOT a hypocrite. And what about what Crane said? ..Did we kill mom and dad?_

_**I did. And I'd do it again.**_

_You're fucking sick! How could you DO that? THEY'RE MY PARENTS!_

_**Language! And like you said, we're different, you and I. I don't have to explain myself**_

_I hate you_

She stood up and wiped tears from her eyes. Then, ignoring the increasingly violent outburst from her other half, and with a strong purpose, and made her way to the rec room.

* * *

For a change of pace the room was.. white. A large TV was mounted in a corner, and there were various other recreational activities such as a snooker table and a pinball machine against one wall. Jennifer thought the staff were being overly-trusting, and as she entered, ignoring the stares of the patients, she wondered how many people had been injured by the seemingly innocent pinball machine. She made her way over to the far left corner. A group of couches, with a small bookshelf between them, and a coffee table in the centre was set up. A door was behind one of the couches. She sat down slowly on one of them, looking around the room at the other patients. Most were watching the TV, others were sat at tables playing card games and a few were stood around the snooker table. One was sat alone, mumbling to himself, and with a pang of embarrassment Jenny wondered if that's what she had looked like for the last two years. She grabbed a book, not bothering to look at the title, and pretended to read, wondering how long she should stay. A voice in her ear made her jump almost ten feet into the air.

"I've heard a lot about you darling."

"Excuse me?" Two men sat themselves on the couch, either side of her. They closed in, making Jenny feel more than a little uncomfortable.

"Mike here told me all about you," the shorter man said, nodding towards the other man who grinned. "He says you're crazier than a bag of cats."

".. Is a bag of cats crazy?" she asked, hoping to distract them long enough to think of a escape. Her other half readied herself, she could sense something was about to happen.

"Not if they're dead," Mike snorted, giggling uncontrollably. The shorter man joined in, before leering at Jenny.

"You know, we don't get a lot of chicks here. And never as pretty as you, doll."

Jenny panicked, and her other half took advantage of her lapse in concentration. She slipped forward, taking over.

"Is that right?" she asked, her voice suddenly adopting a seductive tone.

Mike grinned his hand moving up her leg. "You know, there's plenty of empty rooms around here." The short man moved his sleeve slightly to reveal a small blade.

"Don't scream.. yet. Just follow us and-" he stopped suddenly as Jenny's other half snarled and raised her leg, kicking him in the face. He grunted and fell sideways, off the edge of the chair clutching his bloody nose. She grinned and grabbed Mike's collar, pulling his face an inch from hers.

"If you _ever _try to _touch _me again, I'll use your little friend's blade and _cut your fucking balls off_. Okay?" She spat. Mike nodded, his eyes wide. She smiled sweetly, patted his head and let go. He sprung up and quickly walked out of the room, followed by his short friend. She smiled, allowing Jenny to regain control. A figure caught her eye and she turned to see Crane sat on one of the couches to her right, watching her with an expression of vague amusement. He held a closed book in his hands. He glanced at the cover of her book and gave a short laugh.

"Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde?" he scoffed quietly. He had his feet resting against the coffee table in a laidback fashion that had never before been exhibited by him. She looked at the title of his book and scoffed in what she hoped was a matching scornful tone. "Pride and Prejudice?"

He turned the book, glanced at the title and turned it back around, smirking slightly.

"So, how are you liking your first day in reality?" Jonathan asked.

"Are you attempting to have a therapy session with me in the middle of the rec room?" Jennifer asked, disbelieving.

"I'm simply making conversation, Miss Aiken."

"Don't."

Jonathan's smirk turned into a full grin. He pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose and moved closer, leaving less than one couch cushion between them. He leaned forward, resting on one of his hands. "It seems obvious that you can handle yourself a lot better than you did yesterday. You learn quick."

Her heartbeat increased and she cautiously glanced at him. "Well it was either that or get attacked again. And obviously I don't want that."

"Oh, I think we both know that's not true. _Masochist_."

Her other half pushed forward angrily, delivering a venomous line before retreating back. "It is, and if you try anything like that again, I'll cut your fucking throat."

Crane grinned, his blue eyes burning. "Hmm, your other half take over for a moment, there?"

"No." But she said it too quick. She inwardly cursed herself and tried to remain looking impassive. "And what the hell did you do to get yourself locked in here? The teacher becomes the student?" She quoted Edward. "Or perhaps you're emulating Shakespeare's Henry V?"

"You know.. you seem to think that after a few hours in the real world you can take care of yourself. But believe me, Miss Aiken, you'll be surprised how lax security can get around here."

_How did he get so close? _He was inches from her face, his self-satisfied smirk angering her more than his dangerous flirting. Before she could think of a reply there was a commotion at the main doors of the rec room. They both turned their heads, but Jonathan didn't move back. A small group had gathered, and it was getting larger by the second. Shouts rang out, and Jennifer realised there was a fight. Jonathan gripped her elbow in a vice-like grip and began to drag her towards the commotion. She was as curious as he was, and so didn't fight nearly as hard as she should've. They reached the outer edge of the mob, and slowly pushed through to the front. A bald, skinny man, thinner than Jenny had ever seen was trying to grip another man's shoulders. His face was screwed up with fury. He ran again, egged on by the shouts and taunts of the crowd and missed the man, who easily jumped out of his way, playfully. The man turned, and Jenny gasped. His hair was pushed back, with greenish tints through it. His mouth was open in a wide grin, and a thick scar, reaching out from either side of his mouth, caused him to look even more mirthful than he already did. His face looked like one that was always meant to be laughing. He seemed to take pleasure in everything he did. His face was contorted with absolute glee as he taunted, no, _toyed _with the bald man. He ducked under the man's outstretched arms again and stuck out his foot which caused the bald man to fall on his back with a sickening thud. The laughing man swung his leg back and began kicking him ruthlessly, aternating between snarling and giggling. With one final kick to the ribs he stopped, still almost doubled over with laughter, but clearly bored with the bruised and bleeding man on the floor. The crowd slowly stopped shouting, and began breaking up. Jonathan smirked, and moved his full lips to Jennifer's ear, whispering.

"Don't tell me even you have never heard of him, Miss Aiken," before releasing her elbow from his surprisingly powerful grip and heading back to the couches. Jenny stood, too shocked to speak, as the laughing man turned and caught her eye. He paused, and sauntered over- a grin plastered on his face.

"Well _hello _beautiful.."

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

Oh I do love that guy.

Okay, so I've decided that both Jennifer and Crane have MPD (Dissociative identity disorder/Multiple Personality Disorder). I'm trying to write in a few similarities between Jenny and Crane along the way, so this made sense. I was toying between that and a very stretched version of Schizophrenia. I'm currently researching the disorders to make them more accurate but there'll probably be a _lot _of errors throughout the story. Point them out and I'll try to fix them :)

The rec room was inspired by a fanfic I read a while back involving Crane. For the life of me I can't remember the title D:

**LookAtTheBeautifulDay: **Thanks so much for the reviews! I wasn't really trying to be psychologically accurate, more just twisting it to suit my needs, but I agree that MPD is very different to how I'm writing it. As I write more I'll probably try to hone my descriptions to make it more accurate, but I admit it's not a major concern of mine at this point :) I've taken your advice concerning the 'suck at summaries' thing, lack of self-esteem won out there at first :P Edward is always an interesting character. He never really gets the credit he deserves, and has so many unusual traits that aren't often seen amongst Batman villains. I think at the minute the patients are wondering why the hell Crane is there. A lot of them haven't heard the arrest rumours, so they may think that he's undercover for some reason, which, of course, isn't true, but paranoia is rife in Arkham. After a while though there's definitely going to be some scores to settle. I wouldn't want to be Johnny boy when _that_ time comes. Scarecrow is probably my favourite character to write, so I'm glad you enjoyed that part :D


	6. Chapter 6 Joseph Kerr

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Six**

Jennifer stood still, her heart pounding in her chest, feeling as though she'd just come face to face with a lion.

"Ah, aren't you going to answer me?" The man was almost on her and she involuntarily took a step back.

"Hello," she managed, visibly wincing at how weak her voice sounded. The man's face widened into another grin. Jennifer wondered if the scars were self-inflicted to purposely exaggerate his already wide smile.

"Why don't we, ah_, sit _down?" he asked, as though she had any choice in the matter. He skipped over to the nearest table, the current occupants of which quickly jumped up and scurried away claiming they 'were finished with their game anyway'. He gestured to one of the chairs with his chin. Jennifer felt her legs move towards the chair seemingly with no command from her and she sat, feeling numb. He giggled and sat on the edge of the table, inches from her, looking over her curiously. She fidgeted with her hands, unsure of what else to do. All she _wanted _to do was stand up and leave, but she seemed to have lost control over her legs for the moment. She felt the eyes of the patients on her, slyly no doubt, and could almost taste their fascination at two of Gotham's most mysterious criminals sitting together as though they were about to have coffee.

"It's rude to meet someone and not introduce yourself."

"That's okay. Please, take your time." She gasped at her nerve but the man seemed to find it hilarious. He laughed until tears rolled down his cheeks.

"My, ah, my name is Joseph. Kerr. Your turn."

"I'm sorry?"

"Your _name_."

"Oh, er, Jennifer."

"Jennifer. _.. Aiken_?" His eyebrows rose slightly and he looked at her with a new bout of curiosity. Jenny felt sick, there was something about this man that put her on edge, more so than Crane. She nodded vigourously. "Ahahaha!" She jumped at the sudden outburst as he grinned and clapped his hands, laughing. "Finally! I've heard a lot about you, _Jenn-i-fer_." Her name rolled off his tongue with relish.

* * *

Crane sat on the couch, holding a book and not realising that it was upside down. He was watching them closely, paying close attention to anything that might give away how Jennifer was feeling. She'd certainly gone paler, she was wringing her hands slightly in her lap. Was she _scared _of him? He could understand why. The Joker was a man who gave off, in waves, the impression that he'd kill you if you sneezed in his presence. You never knew where you stood with him. He was surprised she was still alive ig he was honest.

_**Curious, Johnny?**_

_Of course I am. _

_**You know, some people would say that your curiosity is unhealthy**_

_Those people are the people who WORK here, and I have no interest in what they have to say. _

_**You'll HAVE to listen to them. You're supposed to have your first session with Penrose tomorrow. He'll nod, and pretend he cares, and give you medication, and soon you'll be a mindless drone, like every other medicated freak in this place**_

_That WILL NOT happen_

_**How can you be so sure? ... Is there a way around it?**_

_You know perfectly well there are ways around those sessions. We've worked here long enough to know THAT_

_**Well then, Johnny boy-**_

_Please stop calling me that_

_**-Johnny boy, it looks like you're going to have to worm your way out of those sessions quickly. I'd start brainstorming right now**_

He looked back over at the Joker and Jenny, realising his conversation had distracted him. He was shocked. She seemed to have relaxed. _How...? _She'd regained colour, her hands were still, and she was even looking the Joker in the eyes.

_**Has her other half come out to play?**_

_I don't think so. Her eyes are still light green. They go darker when the other half comes out, right? What on earth could he have said to her to make her relax like that?_

His eyes widened further as Jenny began talking to him. Not just one-word answers, but a freaking monologue by the look of it.

* * *

"- and then I went back to my cell, and tried to process it." She finished, realising she had rambled slightly, but when she looked at the Joker he seemed as interested as he was at the beginning of her soliloquy.

"Hmmm, just one bad day and you spent two years in your head. That... must've been _fun_. So much better than being trapped in this, ah, _strange_ _pantomime_ that people have labelled '_society_'."

Jennifer noticed the way he emphasised certain words. "It was a hoot.. 'Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one'."

The Joker cocked his head to the side. For a second Jennifer thought she saw shock flit across his face, but it happened so fast she wondered if she'd imagined it. "And, ah, who said that?"

"Er, Albert Einstein."

"I hope I get to meet that guy one day." He laughed manically, before patting her head and jumping off the table with an exaggerated swing of his legs. "Well, ah, Jenn-i-fer, I've waited a long time to meet the _butcher _of Gotham. You _didn't _disappoint." He waved and walked out of the room, ignoring the other patients who were all wise enough to give him a wide berth. Jennifer stayed at the table, letting out a long breath that she didn't realise she had been holding.

_What the hell was that?_

_**Mm, I think we just met the Joker**_

_The Joker?_

_**Remember? That news report a while ago about some guy in face paint who was blowing up buildings and terrorising people? You were fascinated with him.**_

_Oh my god. That was him? He looks different without his face paint.._

_**Of course he did. He said his name was Joseph Kerr. Joe Kerr. You idiot, how did you miss that?.. You know, it's strange. I'm supposed to be the dangerous one, and yet YOU, shy little Jenny, were the one who was fascinated by Gotham's newest terrorist.**_

_I admired his modus operandi. I was NOT fascinated with him._

_**Sure..**_

Jenny looked around, noticing Crane who was still watching her with a slight smirk on his face. She stood up quickly and made her way out of the rec room. That was more than enough excitement for her for one day. Halfway down the corridor, lost in her own thoughts, she walked straight into Nurse Roberts, who stumbled back and then smiled.

"Well, nice to know you're so focused you don't look where you're going," he laughed.

"Sorry. Weird day."

He began walking with her, back to D wing. "Oh yeah, in what way?"

"I just met the Joker."

"..oh. Patient 223." Roberts said thoughtfully. "Yeah he's out of solitary.. If it were up to me he'd never leave but, you know, the staff believe in clean slates. He's had hundreds. He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, no, nothing like that. He sat down with me, and asked my name. Realised who I was and started talking about how the media should focus more on people who do things.. like I did, and then asked me what exactly happened. Apparently he's been waiting for me to 'come back down to earth'."

"Hmm, I'd be careful around him. If he's taken an interest in you then no good can come of it."

"Yeah, I wasn't about to let my guard down. Believe me." They reached D wing. The cells were slowly filling with the patients who were coming back for the night. Many had escorts, and were being placed in their cells before their handcuffs could come off. "Roberts?"

"Hm, yeah?"

"The Joker said I was the 'butcher of Gotham'."

"..Did he?"

"Is that what people called me?"

"When the story broke the media gave you that name, to sensationalise it a bit more."

"Sensationalise? I killed my parents in cold blood. How much more 'sensational' did they want it?"

Roberts held his hands up. "Hey, you don't have to tell me. I think it's sick to give nicknames like that.. but there you go."

"Does the murder of two people warrant the name 'butcher' though? I mean, shouldn't 'butcher' refer to someone who kills hundreds of people?"

"Hmm, maybe. Ah, here you go. Now, lights out in about an hour. I'll come for you tomorrow for your shower, and then you have a session at around 9am, after breakfast."

"Why didn't I have one today?"

"Well, Crane had just been arrested.. there wasn't time to assign you a new doctor."

"Oh, of course," Jenny said. With their Joker conversation she had momentarily forgotten about the blue-eyed basket case.

"So, same time tomorrow, huh?" He asked, locking the cell door.

"It's a date." Roberts laughed, before making his way back up the corridor towards the elevators. She watched him go before turning her gaze to the cell opposite hers. Instead of finding it empty she felt her heart enter her throat as she locked eyes with the Joker who leaned against the back wall of his cell and waved.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

Oh man, it's _so _hard to do the Joker justice. But go easy on me, I've never written his character before!

Thank you so much to all of the people who've favourited and followed this story so far. You guys inspire me to keep writing 3

And, of course, thank you to my lovely reviewers :)

**LittleLottie187: **Thanks so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far :)

**LookAtTheBeautifulDay: **Haha I agree. At first I wasn't going to have Joker out in the open, but then there'd be very little interaction between himself and Jenny. My thought was that he's a maximum security prisoner, and continually gets locked in solitary but, like Roberts said, the staff are extremely stubborn and believe that in time he'll come around. Oh how wrong they are. Really glad you're enjoying it so far, thanks for reviewing :D

Notes:

-'Joseph Kerr' is a name that The Joker gives himself in 'Going Sane' (_Legends Of The Dark Knight _#65-68)

-'223' is his Arkham assigned case number. I was going to call him Patient Zero, on account of the fact that he's pretty much a John Doe. But there must be more than one John Doe at Arkham, so there'd be a ton of Patient Zeros walking around. It'd get a bit confusing haha

-The 'one bad day' line is from _The Killing Joke_, by Alan Moore. Absolutely brilliant story, and the Joker is at his best in it.


	7. Chapter 7 Therapy

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Seven**

Breakfast the next day was slightly less eventful than the day before. There were no dramatic entrances from narcissistic ex-psychologists or just-woke-up-from-a-two-year-stint-in-my-own-head murderers. Instead the patients of Arkham Asylum had what could only be described as a normal, or boring, start to the day. There was only one fight, and that only started after Mike Alpert accidently slipped on some porridge. Jenny spent the time sat, again, with Edward who was still delighting over finding someone worthy of his riddles- a skill that Jenny did not previously know she had, and one which Edward insisted was somehow due to him. Jenny didn't argue the matter. They spent quite a while discussing the two new guards, who had been hired the day before. Brian and Ethan were both over 6ft, and looked more like body-builders than guards. Both were instantly hated by all patients, mainly due to their affinity for abusing their power. They had already spent their first night patrol, when security was more relaxed, beating patients in their cells and stalking the corridors of the Asylum praying for a reason to start a fight.

At 9am, after a long discussion on the differences between medium and maximum security (Clue: handcuffs and escorts) and the reasons behind Edward only being in medium ('I never kill people, darling, and in this city a world-class mind can hardly compete with so many killers'), Jenny spotted Roberts at the doors of the cafeteria and, after saying goodbye to Edward, quickly joined him.

"Edward Nigma?" Roberts asked, his eyebrows slightly raised as they began their journey to the elevators.

"Yeah, why? Is something wrong?" Jenny asked, noticing his tone.

"Er, no. Not really. It's just.. he has a weird knack for getting under your skin. I'd try not to spend too much time with him."

"Roberts, it's not particularly easy to make friends in this place. Or haven't you noticed?"

Roberts laughed. "Believe me, I've noticed. But I'm serious, be careful around him. Don't hang out with him so much."

"I've only talked to him at breakfast. We're hardly looking for our first home together." Jenny answered, smiling, as Roberts pressed the button for the elevator.

"I know, but I'm allowed to worry about you."

"Actually I'm not sure you are. Something about fairness and impartiality?"

"I'm sure I can make an exception," he said, his eyes twinkling as the elevator opened on to the second floor. They made their way through several corridors, one of which looked particularly familiar. Jenny wondered why until she saw 'Dr. Jonathan Crane' still stencilled on one of the doors. Roberts stopped outside another, with 'Dr. Jacob Penrose' in gold lettering. He knocked, gave Jenny a reassuring nod, and Jenny entered.

* * *

The room was a very stereotypically-accurate psychologists office. A white head, with black lines and phrases scattered across it, acted as a book-end with several leatherbound titles resting against it. A plant stood in the corner, and a large desk was placed beneath a large window. Penrose sat behind it, waiting for Jenny to sit down. She did so, looking around with shyness and curiosity.

"Miss. Aiken. It's nice to see you so.. erm, lucid."

"..Thank you."

He leaned back in his chair slightly, rummaging around in a drawer before pulling out a thick file. He opened it, reading a few things before closing it again and placing it beside his notepad. Jennifer noticed the name on the front.

"Er, is that my file?"

Penrose blinked, before looking down at it. "Yes, it is. Nothing to worry about, of course. Every patient has one."

"I know, it's just, it looks a lot thicker than the one Professor Crane used."

A vein in Penrose's neck twitched, before he smiled warmly at her. "Well, considering the fact that Crane is now locked in a cell in the same corridor as you, I hardly think we can take anything he did as solid fact. Do you?"

Jennifer blushed at the slight aggression, realising that she must have touched a nerve. She sat in silence, playing with the ends of her long sleeves.

"I have a session with _ex_-Professor Crane after this. Would you like me to ask him for you?"

"No. No, that's fine," Jennifer answered, not sure why Penrose was suddenly acting like a child with something to hide.

"Now, if we can start our session. How are you finding things at Arkham so far?"

The rest of the session progressed normally, with the standard questions asked. Penrose seemed to return to normal, but Jennifer could not help but feel as though hostility remained between them, and was merely being glossed over. She wondered if he was like this with all of his patients. However, considering the fact that he was Chief Psychologist, and pretty much in charge of the Asylum since Jeremiah Arkham disappeared five years ago, she could not imagine him acting this way and getting such a high position. He did nothing to help matters when he suggested that her other half should be embraced rather than ignored. Jennifer vehemently disagreed.

* * *

After the session she went back to her cell, not particularly keen on returning to the rec room after yesterday's incidents. She layed on her bed, thankful for the silence while everyone else wandered the corridors (which in her opinion was a huge danger, and a complete failure of planning on Arkham's part). She closed her eyes, trying to ignore Penrose's voice which kept returning to her.  
"_Perhaps you should think about accepting this second side to you_."

She scoffed. How he managed to get those academic degrees she'll never know. Embracing a murdering personality which manipulated her own? Yeah, she'll do that right away.

"Something not to your, ah, _taste_?"

She lifted her head, almost too quickly, and gasped to see the Joker leaning against the glass doorway of her cell. "Excuse me?"

"That _sound_. Almost as though you were _dis_pleased with something."

"I'm fine. just thinking," she answered, too mentally exhausted to even be afraid at the fact that the Joker was a mere few feet from her exposed throat. One slash and she'd be gone.

"Ah, you shouldn't do that, _Jenn-i-fer_. What if you get lost and spend another two years in your head?" The Joker said, walking into the room, not waiting for an invitation, and perching himself on the end of her bed by her feet.

"Might be more fun than sitting around here, _Joseph_, and please come in and make yourself comfortable."

The Joker grinned at the mention of his alias. "Sometimes things can be a little, ah, _slow _around here. _Mostly _because dear ol' Penrose doesn't want anything exciting to happen."

"Why?"

"Guess."

Jenny frowned at him, before thinking it over. "If exciting things happen then the patients might actually like being here, and that's not the purpose of this place? Or maybe they'll get a taste of the excitement and want more, so try to escape?"

"Hmm, you're a smart one. And, ah, take your pick. They're both right."

"You know Penrose?"

"I know _of _him. Why? Thinking of getting, ah, friendly to knock a few years from your sentence?"

Jennifer pulled a face. "No. I had a session with him this morning. He seemed.. hostile."

"He runs this place. Ain't no one here who isn't crazy, employed or otherwise." The Joker looked around her cell with exaggerated interest. "Nice place you got here."

"Thanks, I was going for sterile-chic."

The Joker almost shrieked with laughter, stomping his feet before twisting his head to look at Jenny. "Did you know, that over a third of people have had a nervous breakdown at some point?"

"You sound like the beginning of a health commerical, what's your point?"

"Well, my _point_, is that the walls of Arkham aren't as, ah, _black and white_ as they seem."

Before Jenny could even process what he'd said Roberts came running to the cell door. "Jenny!" The Joker jumped up, faking surprise, before grinning.  
"Ah, one of the bright young hopefuls. Training to keep Arkham secure. To keep the _crazies _inside.."

"Shut it, clown. Get back to your cell." Roberts said, trying to sound menacing and authoritative but failing miserably. Nevertheless, the Joker bowed and tipped an imaginary hat to Jenny before bounding out of the cell and disappearing.

"He should've stayed in solitary," Roberts said, bitterly, as he gestured to Jenny to follow him.

"He wasn't really doing any harm." Jenny said, raising her eyebrows at herself when she realised she was defending the Joker, and walking with Roberts down the corridor.

"Hmm, another one that you should stay away from.."

"By the sounds of it you want me to stay in a cell on my own and not interact with _any _of Arkham's inmates." She raised a serious point, but smiled as she said it.

"You know, that's not such a bad idea." Roberts grinned back, as they headed through the door that led to the shower rooms.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Jenny asked, passing the shower room doors.

"Interrogation rooms, on the other side of the building," Roberts answered, reaching the end of the second corridor and producing a staff card which he swept under a scanner. The door buzzed and he opened it, leading her into another corridor which looked as secure as the maximum security wing.

"Um, why?" she asked, wondering what on earth they would want to interrogate her about.

"Don't worry, ain't nothing against you. Penrose had a bit of a problem with Crane.."

At the mention of her ex-therapist Jenny's interest was almost on overdrive. "Problem? What happened?"

"Well, basically, he's requested to speak to you."

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

You guys are the best. Thanks so much for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following!

**LittleLottie187:** It's kinda on it's own timeline. I was going to set it after TDK but decided against it because, if that were the case, Crane would've already been revealed to be psychotic. Things are a bit reversed on my timeline. The Joker terrorised Gotham, got caught, sent to Arkham for a while, and that's where we come in really. I love the 'Joe Kerr' alias, it always makes me laugh when it's included in the comics :)

**LookAtTheBeautifulDay: **Oh she'll be having tons of fun :D But will the Joker and Crane become friends or enemies? Hmm, we'll have to wait and see ;)


	8. Chapter 8 Chasing Birds

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Eight**

They made their way down the corridor, passing doors with secure locks. Roberts stopped, swiping his card and opened one of the doors. Penrose sat inside, looking up expectantly and gesturing to a chair. The room had one table in the centre, with a chair either side. Jenny entered, confused, and sat down.

"Miss. Aiken."

"Doctor Penrose."

"My apologies for this. I'm afraid a slight, ahem, problem arose during my session with Mr Crane."

Jennifer was more confused than ever. "I- I don't understand. What does that have to do with me?"

"He has remained extremely uncooperative, and has requested to speak with you."

Jennifer's mind was on overdrive. What could he possibly want to talk to her about?

"Now, normally, of course, we wouldn't even think of entertaining a patient's request like this. However, Mr Crane's case is rather, ahem, _unique_. Much like yours, albeit for different reasons."

"I'm sorry, I still don't understand?"

"Mr Crane worked at Arkham for many years. He has ties here, and everything he has done could easily act as a tar covered brush for the rest of the staff here at Arkham."

Jennifer suddenly realised what he was getting at. "You don't want to be implicated in anything Crane has done, so you're granting his requests in the hope that you'll find out why he did it, etc, and can clear yourself and other staff members from blame?"

"When you put it like that-"

"Is that it, or isn't it?" After Penrose's hostility towards her this morning she could not help admitting to herself that it was extremely satisfying knowing that they now needed her to clear their names.

"Well.. yes. All you need to do is talk to him. Humour him, and try to persuade him to admit sole responsibility. I will be watching via a camera feed."

"Doctor Penrose, need I remind you that Crane attacked me when I was last in a room alone with him?"

"Two guards will be just outside the door. There's a panic button underneath the table, and, of course, he'll be cuffed."

Jennifer silently snorted in derision. For some reason, she felt like she knew the real Crane better than Penrose, and knew that, if he had his mind set on something, handcuffs were hardly a hindrance. After being made to feel like an unruly child for asking a question in their session that morning, Jennifer wanted to make the most of this role reversal.

"Why should I help you?"

Penrose raised his eyebrows, before leaning forwards slightly. "My dear, do not think for one second that you are the one in control here. You've been doing so well at Arkham. A very meek headcase. Your file looks very promising. I'm sure neither of us want it to be tarnished by reports of _unruly _behaviour and the inability to follow direction."

Jennifer's eyes widened. Was he _threatening _her?

"Furthermore, I see you have befriended Mr Nigma. A friend always helps in these places. I hate to think what would happen if you were s_eparated_ from said friends."

"Are you trying to blackmail me?" She asked, disbelieving. Her other half almost screamed in anger.

"I'm simply pointing out that you're hardly in a position to bargain with me, Miss Aiken."

* * *

Ten minutes later she took a deep breath and entered the room next to the one she had just been in. Crane was seated at the table, his hands resting on it. The handcuffs glinted in the artificial light. His hair was as unruly as it had been yesterday, and his full lips were in the form of a self-satisfied smirk. He noticed that her hands were cuffed too.

"Miss Aiken," he acknowledged, coolly, as she sat down opposite him.

"Mr Crane."

_**It's still 'doctor' Crane. And my, doesn't she look radiant?**_

_Radiant? _He asked mockingly. Although he couldn't help but agree. Arkham seemed to be good for her.

_**I'm sorry, I was assuming you didn't like my vulgar language. Still, 'fuckable' works just as well.**_

She was watching him, almost apprehensively. His smirk widened.

"Aren't we an odd couple?" He asked, nodding towards her cuffs and raising his slightly. She didn't answer. "I'm surprised you agreed to see me, after our previous.. encounters."

"Yeah, well, Penrose is very persuasive." He noticed her tone was bitter, and wondered what on earth Penrose had done to convince her to meet with him. He had worked at Arkham for years and knew that Penrose never shied away from an opportunity to abuse his power, despite outward appearances.

"Hmm, getting to know the real Arkham, are we?"

"What do you want, Crane?"

"What does Penrose want you to do?"

"He wants me to persuade you to accept sole responsiblity for your recreational activites."

"'Recreational activities'? A synonym of 'illegal experimentation'?"

"So you do accept?" She asked, clearly anxious to leave.

_**Oh, don't let her go so soon, Johnny. I like looking at her. Imagining her screami-**_

"I'll accept, if you talk to me."

"..I am talking to you."

"You misunderstand Miss Aiken. Tell me about yourself. About your experiences at Arkham so far-"

"This isn't a _therapy _session, Crane."

"I wasn't assuming so, Miss Aiken. However, you clearly want to leave, and I'm not going to let that happen until you _talk _to me."

Jennifer almost laughed at this. "You're handcuffed. You have no power or authority in this room." This thought, at least, gave her confidence.

"Miss Aiken, when has that ever stopped me?"

She thought for a minute. If she left right now Penrose would be furious. He hadn't accepted responsibility, and so Penrose would see it as a failure. She didn't want to think about what he could do if that were the case. She sighed. "What do you want to know?"

"In our last session together, you said you _remembered_. What exactly did you remember from the night you killed your parents in cold blood?"

She stiffened, before reminding herself that she was not going to give him any satisfaction. She looked him in the eyes, his ice-cold, blue eyes pointedly. "I remember going home, and my other half taking over. She already had a knife from.. somewhere, I don't know where." Her eyes narrowed, never leaving Crane's, as she tried to remember. "Then I.. I remember looking down and seeing.. them, laying there. Then, I-" She stopped for a second, feeling her voice shake so much she was sure she was about to cry. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, before she continued. "Then I ran, and I found myself on the highway; the bridge between Gotham and the Narrows. Then the cops came and I.." She stopped, fading into silence, figuring that Crane already knew the rest. They were still staring at each other, almost as though they were challenging the other to look away.

"I see," he muttered finally, glancing up at the camera in the left hand corner of the ceiling. "And you cannot remember actually killing them?"

"No. My mind must've blocked it out.. why is that important?"

"Only my curiosity, Miss Aiken. Denial is a very common occurance in mental health cases; when a thought or memory is so terrible the mind literally rejects it." Jenny gritted her teeth, hating the psychologist bullshit that he was still spouting even after becoming a patient himself. "..Consider it a blessing."

_**A blessing? That bastard**_

Jenny didn't need her other half to be angry, she was feeling that by herself. "A blessing? A blessing would be never killing my parents in the first place. A blessing would be never ending up in this nuthouse!"

_**She's feisty. Haven't seen this before, Johnny boy**_

_Interesting.._

"What about you, huh? Are you enjoying life on the other side of the therapy table?"

"I knew that sooner or later my experiments would be discovered. I was surprised it took as long as it did. An indictment of the intelligence of the Gotham Police Department.. but still, I admit that I was hoping to continue my research. That, at least, is not lost to me."

"How so?" Jennifer asked, still shaking with anger.

"Miss Aiken, being trapped in here is a setback, true. But whatever they do to me, they cannot take my mind. I could succumb to the very darkest edges of insanity but my _mind _would still be here. Broken and unrecognisable, yes, but my love of fear would still be strong."

"Why fear? Why is that so interesting to you? What the hell happened to you to make you this way?"

Crane shifted, possibly making himself comfortable. "You know that the police have traced my life? Unfortunately, everyone leaves a paper trail. They have discovered that on several occassions I have killed people. Murdered, in cold blood. That is something else we have in common-"

"'Something _else'_?" Jennifer asked incredulously, wondering what on earth they already had in common.

Crane ignored her. "It is, therefore, safe for me to admit certain events from my past without concern of being punished for them. I have already been L-wopped. There's nothing else they can do."

"'L-wopped'?" Jenny asked, confused.

"Life Without Possibility of Parole. Now please pay attention; Very often an incident in childhood suggests the sort of person the child will be when he grows up. Such was the case with myself. As a small boy I liked to frighten birds. As I grew, my passion for causing fear, and my love of books, intertwined. I studied evil, terror, man's inhumanity to man, and naturally I became a Professor of Psychology. I was a first-rate teacher, but the authorities balked at my methods. I was fired. I didn't take this news well, and entered the school late one night, when the headmaster was still working. I've always preferred to rely on my mind's natural genius.. but I'm not averse to a spot of rough and tumble. I used Scarecrow that night. I could smell the fear on him like a tangible thing. For an instant I savoured it, tasted it the way another man might sample marmalade. I'd never hurt anyone before, let alone killed a man. It was like frightening birds, only a million times better. As I said, everyone has a paper trail, and so it was extremely easy to create a new one. I wiped the slate clean, and became a psychologist, working here at Arkham."

Jennifer remained silent, trying to process everything she had just heard. She couldn't understand why he had told her so much, and was still finding it hard to believe that beneath the bed-head hair and blue eyes, there was a killer. Did others feel the same when talking to her? She swallowed before looking back up at him. He was sat, comfortably, watching her with calculating eyes, his eyebrows slightly raised. She stood, wanting nothing more than to leave.

"Are you finished so soon, Miss Aiken? I thought you were here on behalf of Penrose."

She stopped, realising he had not yet accepted responsibility. "Do you-"

"I accept full responsibility for my experiments and declare that no one else worked with me, or knew about my research, except, of course, the four guards that have come forward and admitted their part in it," he said, in a tone that suggested he was rather bored.

"Thank you," Jenny said quietly, before turning to leave. With her hand on the door handle she suddenly remembered something and turned back to face him. "The file that you used in our therapy sessions.."

"What about it?"

"Was it a complete file?"

"It had everything in it. Why do you ask?" He enquired, clearly curious.

"Penrose had it, when I had a session with him this morning. But it seemed a lot thicker, like it had a lot more in it.." She watched for a reaction. She thought she saw his eyes widen slightly, and his eyebrows rise even further for a second, but she may have imagined it because when she focused, his placid expression had returned.

"I don't know anything about that. But I can't imagine it being important."

"Oh.. okay." She left, wondering why she had made it out to be a big deal when it was clearly nothing of importance.

Jonathan watched her go, his slightly surprised expression returning. he glanced up at the camera, smirking. He knew Penrose was watching them, knew he had heard everything. As the guards entered to take him back to his cell in maximum security he wondered why on earth Penrose had a different file on Jennifer, and why on earth he didn't know about it.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

**Notes:** Jonathan's backstory was taken, and changed slightly, from the Knight fall storyarc (_Shadow of The Bat #017)_

And the 'rough and tumble' quote which oh so brilliantly shows Crane's inflated ego is also from the Knightfall storyarc (_Shadow of the Bat #018_)

Thanks so much for reading, guys :)


	9. Chapter 9 Seeing Red

**Note: **I've edited the start of chapter seven, adding two characters early so this chapter makes more sense :)

* * *

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Nine**

The next three weeks passed by quickly and were, for the most part, uneventful. Each day consisted of the same routine; shower, breakfast- during which time Jennifer would have friendly conversations with Edward, and then the rec room where Jennifer would read for hours, ignoring whatever was going on around her. Jonathan kept himself at a distance, preferring to watch Jennifer from afar. He was determined to discover what made her tick, but so far he hadn't seen any hint of her other half. Must like his own, she seemed to have descended into hibernation. He did notice that Roberts took an unusual interest in her. This he didn't like, at all. He knew, from the moment he first saw her file, that he would have her sooner or later. Any competitors, although none of them worthy, were a spanner in the works. He noted several things about Jennifer; she was not exactly sociable. She didn't initiate conversations and seemed to do her best to avoid them altogether. When they were unavoidable, she appeared to be quick-witted. Always prepared with a comeback that caught the various conversationalists offguard. She also enjoyed watching the people around her. Not in a way that made her seem perverse or creepy, but with a genuine curiosity. Jonathan couldn't determine exactly why she did it, as far as he could tell she did it because she enjoyed it. The Joker also stayed at a distance, but whether this was a deliberate move, or whether he was just doing whatever the hell he liked, no one was quite sure.

Jenny's therapy sessions with Penrose did not fare any better than the first one. He seemed intent on bringing out her other half, through various manipulative techniques which he seemed to think were not noticeable. She _did _notice them, and refused to give him what he wanted. There was something about Penrose that set her on edge. Every session seemed to turn into a battle of wits- a battle that Jennifer was determined to win.

Although the everyday routine didn't change, there was something about the atmosphere in Arkham that _did_. The patients, usually almost catatonic on a mixture of medication and mind-numbing therapy, were more alert and talkative. It wasn't a huge change, but one that did not go unnoticed by Jenny, Jonathan or the Joker. They were all highly intuitive, and all sensed that something had shifted. It was 23 days after Jennifer had first come back to reality when things really began to change. News had reached her, courtesy of Edward, that Jonathan had been placed in solitary after a fight the night before. Two patients, apparently men whom Jonathan had experimented on, cornered him at lunch and attacked him. Scarecrow had come forward, resulting in a vicious fight. The two patients had been sent to the infirmary, whilst Jonathan had been dragged to solitary.

* * *

The next day Jenny was sat in the cafeteria, at her usual table. Edward had just left, due to an early therapy session. She was finishing her porridge when large hands clamped themselves over her eyes. For a second she panicked, before smelling the spicy odour of gasoline and smoke. No matter how often he washed, that smell never seemed to fade. She tried to relax.

"Guess whoo."

"Joseph."

"I'll give you that.. since I, uh, don't have a _real _name." The Joker giggled and slid into the seat next to hers. She smiled. He hadn't given her any trouble since he arrived, and she hated to admit it but she actually found him interesting.

"Soo, what, ah, have you been up to, beautiful?"

"None stop action. Been working my way into the stock market," she answered sarcastically, eating another spoonful of porridge. He produced another spoon, seemingly from nowhere, and began to help himself. Jennifer raised her eyebrows but couldn't help her lips twitching again. The Joker looked up, grinning, and licked his lips absent-mindedly.

"Gotta watch those stocks.. don't wanna _fall_." He laughed manically before suddenly leaning in with a serious expression. "You're, ah, a lot more _interesting _than the normal gooks that get locked in here."

"I'm flattered.. What did you mean when you said the walls of Arkham aren't black and white?" The sudden change of topic surprised even her, but she had been going over it in her head for a while.

"When did I say that?"

"A few weeks ago, when you came into my cell.. without permission, I may add."

"Oh, did I? And what exactly happened in that enclosed space?" He asked, his grin widening.

".. Get your mind out of the gutter, Joseph." She almost laughed.

"Shame.. I'm sure it would've been, ah, _e_-vent-ful."

"You really can't remember?"

"If I really tried then I, uh, _suppoosse _I would," he shrugged, eating another spoonful, "But who has the _time_? If I have to have a past, I prefer it to be multiple choice." Jennifer couldn't argue with that logic. She began to fantasise about how different her life could be if it were multiple choice before realising that the Joker was looking at her.

"Er, sorry. So what did you mean when you said it?"

"I _meant _that half the crazies are walking around Gotham as respectable, _civilized _people. They live their lives as people who seek to fill their empty lives with meaningless distractions. Anyone who threatens to, ah, _ruin _their perfect little world, gets locked in here. Locked in here and _hidden _away from the Stepford dream. The government, society, everyone, none of them want a psychopath showing the world what an illusion their perfect lives are. Keeping us medicated, locked in our comfy padded cells, that eliminates the threat. But all it takes, you know this better than most, beautiful, is one bad day. And you get to let everything go. All of your worries, your _concerns_. All pointless. Madness is the emergency exit. You can just step outside, and close the door on all those _dreadful _things that happened. You can lock them away... forever. Out _there_, that's the asylum. Not here. We're _saner _than anyone out there. Well," he nodded towards a man who was shuffling past mumbling to himself, "_..some _of us are saner than anyone out there. Like me. And you, of course. And good ol' Doctor Crane. All of us, smart enough, ah, to see past the _false _laws and _false_, uh, boundaries, that keep everyone _normal_. All of us, people that no one wants to acknowledge the existence of, _be_cause it keeps everythiiing _neat _and _perfect_." He snorted as he said the last word and looked expectantly at Jennifer, who suddenly realised she was staring at him, with her mouth slightly open. She blinked and turned back to her porridge, eating some more before turning back. She had to agree. Everything suddenly seemed so materialistic. Why care about any of it? Life was too short. Death was inevitable, but everything that happened before then was up to the individual. She looked into his eyes, realising he was in his element, and that he believed every word that he just said.

_No wonder I agreed with his Modus Operandi. I agree with everything he said.._

"Aren't I just good enough to eat?" He asked, grinning widely, noticing her awestruck expression.

"The asylum is out there.. I can't believe I'm saying this Joseph, but I completely agree."

"Life is, ah, _SO _much better once you let go. Lose the seriousness, gain the _fun_."

jennifer grinned, but before she could respond she noticed two figures in blue overalls approaching. She groaned inwardly.

"Hey there, hot lips," Brian purred, leaning over the table towards Jenny.

"'Hot Lips'? What is this, the 1950s?"

Brian's smile vanished and he leaned closer. "Careful, baby, wouldn't want to rough you up before I have to."

Jennifer heard a familiar angry growl in the back of her mind and remembered the bruises she had seen on several patients when they woke up that morning. She knew exactly who was responsible. "Try it."

Brian laughed, standing straight and holding up his hands in mock surrender. "I kid, baby. But you're gonna have to come with us."

"Why?" Her eyes narrowed, suspiciously.

"Because we said so, that's why. Now move your nice little ass and we'll forget about the backchat."

Jennifer stood up, her confidence renewed after the Joker's little speech, and faced Brian. "You know, just because you're employed here doesn't mean you're better than us."

"That's exactly what it means, sweetheart. We're not the fucked up headcases here. You are. And as far as we're concerned you're completely fucking worthless," he growled, grabbing Jenny's arm so roughly she was sure it left a bruise. "We're here by choice. And we need to entertain ourselves, so move your-" He stopped with a grunt as Jennifer brought her knee up and connected with his groin. He doubled over in agony. What happened next seemed to happen in muffled slow motion:

"You little bitch!" Jennifer turned to see Ethan running towards her but, before he even came close, the Joker jumped up, grabbed his head and slammed it against the table, laughing as he did it. Jennifer couldn't help but smile at the Joker's glee. Before she knew what was happening the room had turned upside down. She landed hard on her back and had time to see Brian standing over her before she felt a swift kick to her ribs. She gasped, coughing and rolling onto her elbows, seeing a few spots of blood fall from her mouth. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the Joker still delivering punches and kicks to Ethan, laughing manically. She saw movement and rolled just in time, hearing a boot come down where her head had been moments before. Quickly standing she swung her fist wildly, feeling Brian's nose crack under her hand. A fist met her face in return and she fell agains the table, tasting an alarming amount of blood. She felt a burning fury in the back of her mind and, before Jennifer could argue the matter, her other half had taken control with furious velocity. She turned, eyes blazing and grabbed Brian's head, bringing it down to meet her knee. She felt the blood dripping down her face but only grinned as she grabbed his hair, grunting as she threw him on to the table. Dimly she heard the sound of the Joker. Still fighting, still laughing. Climbing on top of Brian she began delivering punches. Brian tried to grab her arm but she slapped his hand away easily, grinning as she felt another bone break under her hand. She raised her arm again but felt strong arms around her waist. She realised she was being pulled off Brian by an orderly. With a yell she tried to fight, tooth and nail, but felt more arms trying to restrain her. She was dimly aware of a huge crowd of patients who had gathered, shouting encouragements as she kicked wildly, trying to free herself. On the other side of the circle that the crowd of patients had created she saw the Joker in an equally restraining position, snarling as he moved like an animal, throwing off the orderlies. Another arm gripped hers tightly, pulling it towards something. She saw the glint of a needle, Ethan and Brian both laying in pools of blood, and felt a sharp scratch before everything turned to black.

* * *

**Disclaimer: **I do not own DC, Batman, or any characters from the Batman series. I only own Jennifer Aiken.

**LibertyForFreedom455: **Thank you so much for the review! I'm glad you're enjoying it so far :D I update as often as I can so hopefully you won't have to wait too long :)


	10. Chapter 10 Solitary

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Ten**

The floor was cold. That was the first thing she noticed. Jennifer opened her eyes. She was laying, face down, on a hard concrete floor. Her entire body throbbed, and with a groan she wondered if it felt this bad to get hit by a train. Using her hands she pushed herself up, hissing as her entire body protested. She turned, and sat up warily, looking around. The walls were the same as the floor- cold, grey concrete. In front of her was a dark blue metal door. There were no windows. An uncomfortable looking cot was nailed to the wall, with a small toilet in the opposite corner. She realised she was in solitary.

She used the wall to help her stand up- her body screamed with every movement. With a sharp gasp she managed to sit on the cot, trying to remember exactly what had happened. She remembered Brian taunting her, grabbing her arm.. Then it was black. Lifting her shirt up slightly she groaned to see her entire torso covered in purple and black bruises. She realised she must've been in a fight, and a brutal one at that.

A giggle interrupted her thoughts, and she looked around wildly. No one was there. For a second she wondered if it was her other half when she noticed s small grate in the bottom of the wall opposite the cot. Bracing herself for the pain she layed herself sown on the floor, looking through the grate. she was shocked to see the Joker staring back at her.

He was in a similar position. The grate was set into the very bottom of the wall, so the only way to see through was to lay as flat as possible. His grin widened as he locked eyes with Jenny, his tongue flicking across his lips involuntarily. His right eye was bruised and he had two large bruises on his jaw. Jenny realised he must've been in the same fight.

"Well, uh, _hi _there," he said, cheerfully.

"Hi," she answered, quietly, her confusion evident.

"You look particularly _beau-ti-ful _today."

She wondered if her face was as badly bruised as her torso. "Thanks.. what happened?"

The Joker gave a loud whooping laugh. "You don't _remember_?"

"Not fully."

"Hmm, _well_, you went a little, uh, _crazy_ and beat up one of the new guards."

"'One of'?"

"I fought the _other_ one," he grinned widely. She suddenly remembered seeing the two men in the pools of blood.

_Shit_. "Where are we?"

The Joker laughed again. "They call this _solitary_. But the design, uh, wasn't the best. There's a grate on each side so you can talk into the cells next to, uh, your own."

"You're kidding? Why haven't they blocked them off?"

"I don't think they even know they're here. You can't see them properly from the doorway, and whenever they come in the cells they're, uh, _too busy_ to look for small holes in the walls.. Oorrr maybe they just haven't gotten around to it yet."

A metal sliding drew their attention and Jenny realised the door to her cell was being unlocked. She quickly jumped up, almost collapsing again due to the pain in her side, and sat on the cot. The door swung open and Penrose stood there, looking particularly foreboding. Two orderlies stood behind him.

"Miss Aiken," he greeted coldly.

She watched him warily but ignored his greeting. He sighed. "Miss Aiken you caused quite the, ahem, _situation_ in the cafeteria this morning. Would you like to tell me what happened?"

Again, she was silent.

"Well, according to the guards at the door, Mr Brian Pilley and Mr Ethan Hume were keeping an eye on the goings-on in the cafeteria when, suddenly, they were viciously attacked by you and your _friend_."

Jenny felt anger surge through her. "That's bullshit! They were trying to drag me out of the room! They've already beaten up patients, I wasn't gonna let that happen to me. I was defending myself."

"According to the guards the attack was completely random."

"Then the guards are _lying_."

"Miss Aiken. Mr Hume and Mr Pilley are currently in critical condition. I understand that you attacked Mr Pilley whilst your friend attacked Mr Hume. Well, because of you, Brian has three broken ribs, a severely bruised abdomen, a broken nose, and a _fractured skull_." The orderlies shifted slightly and Jenny felt her heart sink. _How was she capable of that much damage_?

"Miss Aiken," Penrose continued. "Paranoia and sudden outbursts of aggression are symptomatic of schizophrenia," a small smile formed on his lips. "Now, I cannot rest easy knowing that there is a chance that you could inflict that damage on someone else, or to yourself." He held up a small bottle of pills and Jenny eyed it warily, before turning her attention back to Penrose. His smile had grown. "This is Quetiapine, otherwise known as Seroquel. It's used to treat schizophrenia, and patients with, ahem, psychotic episodes. I'm not leaving until you take it." Jenny instantly stiffened. There was no way she was taking that medication, becoming another shuffling drone. There were more than enough in Arkham already. She wasn't insane, and she didn't need medication. Penrose was now practically grinning, and Jenny realised what he was doing.

"Miss Aiken, if you refuse to take it, the orderlies," he gestured to the two men behind him, "will administer it by force."

She backed up into the corner of the cot. "You think I can't see what you're doing? You're trying to _make_ me crazy! All the sessions.. trying to get my other half to show herself.. blackmailing me.. and now drugging me! Fuck you! I'm not taking that!"

Penrose sighed and removed his glasses, cleaning them on the corner of his shirt. "As I said, paranoia is very common in schizophrenics. Very well." He nodded to the orderlies who entered the room swiftly. Jenny leapt up and punched one of them as hard as she could in the nose. It took him by surprise. He groaned and grabbed his nose in pain, blood gushing between his fingers. Mesmerised by the blood she forgot about the other orderly who also swung his fist, into her bruised ribs. She almost screamed in pain, her vision blinded by white hot burning. The orderly pushed her back onto the cot, pinning her arms down as she tried to struggle through the pain. The orderly with the bloody nose came forward, now ignoring the blood. He leaned towards her grinning, and grabbed her bruised arm. Her mouth opened to yell but the orderly quickly placed the pill in her mouth and closed it with his hand. He placed his other hand over her nose. For a full minute she struggled wildly, trying to breathe, trying to spit the pill out but eventually she couldn't hold her breath any longer. She swallowed and the orderly removed his hand, smiling smugly. She gasped, taking large gulps of air and shakily propping herself up on her elbows. Her vision became blurry as she locked eyes with Penrose by the door.

"Hopefully this treatment will work, and we will have no more psychotic episodes. It's a shame that such a bright, pretty girl has such a, ahem, _debilitating _psychotic problem." He shook his head before leaving with the orderlies, locking the door behind them. Jenny stood, grabbing the wall for support as the room started to spin. She fell onto her stomach and looked sideways at the grate. The Joker was still there, his brow slightly furrowed in anger, confusion, frustration or interest. She couldn't tell. Her eyes became heavy and she slowly gave in as the room, the Joker, everything, faded to black.

* * *

She awoke suddenly and felt a pang of de ja vu as she realised she was once again laying on the floor of her cell. This time, however, she could remember how she got there. The room seemed brighter than it was before. Her throat felt dry and she coughed, ignoring the pain in her ribs as she did so. Suddenly the Joker appeared, as though he was waiting for her to wake up. As his face came into view Jenny realised that everything seemed slowed down, almost half the speed that it should be. She frowned.

"And how are _you _feeling?" he asked, his scars making his grin seem three times wider than it actually was.

"I.. uh, oh it's bright," she giggled, using a hand to block out the lights above her.

"You're _stoned_," he laughed like a maniac. "Normally I would find this _hilarious_, but somethings, uh, _fishy_ with ol' doctor Penrose. He doesn't seem to like you very much, beau-ti-ful." Jenny barely heard him, instead realising that for the first time in weeks her mind was _completely _silent. She couldn't hear her other half. She laughed, grinning, before looking at the Joker. It was the first time she'd _really _paid attention to his appearance. He was a very handsome man, probably not even 30 yet. His hair was a light brown, almost blonde. His eyes were a deep brown, and his skin was smooth with freckles across the nose. His scars, at that moment in time, didn't distract from the handsomeness. instead it added a mystery, an extra layer of attraction that Jenny sound intriguing. She blinked, realising that the Joker had been talking.

"Hmm," she said, agreeing with whatever he'd said.

The Joker was still grinning but his brow was slightly furrowed again, as though he was thinking. "You need to _sober_ up, then we'll, uh, talk about ol' Penrose." He stood and disappeared from Jenny's view. She frowned.

"Okay," she said, slowly. "Joseph?"

His voice floated through the grate, "Hmm?"

"You're very handsome."

His laugh echoed around the room. "You're, uh, not so bad yourself, beau-ti-ful."

* * *

A few hours passed and Jenny began to feel like herself again. The lights returned to normal, the room stopped spinning, and she could hear the familiar mumbling of her other half. Her entire body felt stiff from the recent abuse and hours spent laying on a hard surface. She felt more aware and she stood, happy to see that she didn't need to wall for support.

"Are you _sober _yet?" The Joker's voice floated up from the grate.

"I think so," she answered, sitting on the edge of the cot.

"About time."

"How long was I out? When they first gave me the pill?"

"About, uh, ten hours."

"Ten hours? Jesus." It had only felt like two or three. How long had she been in the cell? She'd probably lost a full day and not realised it.

"Sooo, Penrose isn't a friend of Aiken's, huh? What, uh, what did he do?"

She moved to lay back on the floor as she talked. "He hates me. Tries to get me to embrace my other half. In our sessions he kept saying that I need her, and that she's be good for me. Then he blackmailed me into talking to Crane for him, and fucking _grinned_ when he gave me the pill. He's trying to make me seem even crazier than I am.. Do you know what the pill was that he gave me?"

"Afraid not, _sweet_heart. But it sure made you giggly."

"Quetiapine," a voice said.

Jenny automatically turned her head to the door, thinking Penrose was back, but it was closed. She looked around, noticing with a shock that there was another grate, directly opposite the Joker's. She rolled onto her other side to see it better, coming face to face with Crane through the grate. His hair was messier, and he even had slight stubble, but his eyes were still the same ice blue.

"What?" she asked.

"Quetiapine. It's an antipsychotic. Used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, aggression.. also used as a sedative. It shouldn't have produced the effects that it did, though. My guess is that he mixed the drug with another, perhaps a mild recreational drug. That would explain the, er, 'giggly'-ness."

"Why would he do that?"

"As you said, he wants to make you seem crazy. Although why he would want that, I don't know. He-"

"Didn't you used to _work_ here?" The Joker asked, interrupting him. Crane stopped himself from rolling his eyes before continuing. "My guess would be that he is trying to hide something. The large file that he has on you, trying to turn you into a medicated paranoid schizophrenic.. Clearly there's something going on."

"Clearly," Jenny scoffed. Understatement.

"Well, Johnny boy-"

"Do not call me that."

"-I don't know about, uh, _you_, but I'm not gonna let ol' Penrose treat a _friend_ that way. I feel like my vacation time has come to an end."

"What do you mean?" Jenny asked, although she already had an idea of what the Joker meant.

"Weee'rrre going to break out."

* * *

Ohh an Arkham breakout? What could possibly go wrong ;)

I meant to upload this yesterday but I spent most of the day at the cinema watching The Dark Knight Rises again. Can't get over how incredible it is!

On another note I think I finally have a idea of how I want this fic to go, and where I want it to lead. So that's good. I hope you enjoy it :)

Thanks so much for reading, and please. please review!


	11. Chapter 11 Planning and Preparation

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Eleven**

"We're gonna break out?" Jenny asked, disbelieving. She already knew that the Joker was insane, but surely he wasn't suicidal?

"Yep. And as soon as we can, too, beau-ti-ful." Jenny turned to face Crane who had a look of shock and disbelief that she assumed was similar to her own.

"And how on earth are we going to do that?" He asked.

"I didn't say _you _were, uh, coming _with _us, now _did _I?" But even as the Joker said it, Jenny knew he didn't mean it. Crane had to go with them. He knew that they were talking about escaping, and Jenny and the Joker both knew that if he thought he wasn't going too, he'd rat them out quicker than they could say 'bitter'.

"You know the guards in the outer grounds have guns. And the indoor guards keep guns locked up for this _precise _reason. They'll shoot us before we get to the front door," Jenny said, not sure why she was trying to reason with him. Penrose was trying to make her insane. So insane, in fact, that if he had his way she'd _never _leave. So if there was a chance to get out before that happened, surely it was worth a shot?

Ten minutes later and the Joker had established a plan. Jenny and Crane were laying on the floor in awe of his enthusiasm and unwavering belief that the plan would work. He sounded like a child who had decided he was going to build a rocket and fly to the moon. They were mostly silent as they listened, but Crane ocassionally interrupted with information on the layout of the asylum, or facts about the guards. In that short time the plan had been fleshed out. So much so that, despite her better judgement, Jenny was starting to believe it would work. Looking at Crane she could tell he was thinking the same. The grinding of metal brought them all to their senses and they jumped up. Jenny tried to look relaxed on the cot and guessed that the other two, well, at least Crane, were doing the same. It was her door that opened and Penrose stood there, looking like the ever-caring doctor.

"Miss Aiken. How has your night been?" he asked, trying to hide a knowing smile. _Bastard_. Jenny looked at him. if this plan was going to work she needed to make sure Penrose did not expect a thing. In the back of her mind she imagined Crane and the Joker as close to the grates as possible without being seen, trying to listen in. She tried to make herself look dazed and smiled at him sweetly.

"It's been okay, doc. I slept all night."

"I'm sure you did. Now, do you remember yesterday's incident?"

She frowned, trying her best to form a confused expression. ".. Incident?"

"You misbehaved. I hope you know I can't abide bad behaviour in my asylum. If you don't want to stay drug free, then I trust you will not act up again? That is, if you ever want to leave this asylum."

This time her smile was real. "I promise I won't, doctor."

* * *

Half an hour later and she was in her normal cell. She had been let out of solitary on 'good behaviour'. Probably a synonym of 'I'm sure she's learned her lesson and will not try to have free will or independent thought again, lest she be locked in a straitjacket and forgotten about'. All she could do now was wait.

The next day the Joker and Crane were let out of solitary. They convened in the rec room, which made for an odd sight for most of the patients. Of course the majority would forget about it within the hour.

"Bullock will be able to get some cards for us. It'll help with getting through the security doors. But it's still gonna be impossible to get out of the actual _building_. There's three of us, and hundreds of guards, orderlies and doctors. It's impossible," Crane said, ever the pessimist.

Jenny, who was pretending to read Frankenstein, looked at him for a second. "What if it wasn't just three of us?"

"If you think we're gonna take everyone with us-"

"No, I mean, what if we started a riot of some kind? It'd provide extra distractions, and it'd be easier to sneak through certain places unseen."

Crane blinked twice, but didn't say anything. The Joker laughed, whooping before pushing himself off the edge of the couch with a jump. "I, uh, think little Aiken's starting to think like a criminal," before walking out of the cafeteria.

The next few days consisted of the same routine: meeting in the cafeteria, or the rec room to discuss what they had heard or learned. The atmosphere amongst the patients was still tense, as though they were waiting for something to set them off. _Perfect_. A guard had started coming to Jenny's cell at night, just before lights out, to give her a small pill. The same pills that Penrose had given her in solitary. She smiled, took it and swallowed. As soon as the guard reached the end of the corridor and entered the elevator she would run to the toilet and make herself vomit the pill back up. Looking up she would lock eyes with the Joker who was watching intently from his cell, grinning like the cat who got the cream.

* * *

"I have some worrying news," Crane murmured. They were, once again, in the rec room.

"Why so glum, scarechum?" The Joker asked.

"Not for you. For Miss Aiken."

Jenny looked up, confused as Crane began describing the events that morning.

_Crane was loitering outside the staff room. He had just finished his session and had managed to convince his new, and incredibly stupid, guard that there was a faster route to the maximum security cells from where they were. After walking around for half an hour Crane stopped, next to Penrose's office, looking slightly embarrassed._

_"I'm sorry, I guess I've forgotten the layout of this place. It's been so long since I was a doctor.." The guard looked at him, cursing himself for listening to a patient, before walking to a nearby wall and turning on his radio, probably asking for directions. Crane moved closer to Penrose's door, listening intently._

_"I don't give a fuck! She's taking the pills, she's not going to be a problem anymore." A male voice echoed, muffled through the door. Crane thought it sounded familiar._

_"Yes the pills worked, yes they keep her unsuspecting, but sooner or later she's going to start digging again. If she finds out the truth.. Even her real name.. I want her dealt with. Properly this time, not harassed by a couple of monosyllabic dicks that get themselves beaten half to death because they're stupid enough to attack her in the cafeteria of all places. For christ's sake, Stephen, she __**fractured his skull**__," said a voice that Crane recognised as Penrose._

_"She won't get the chance to find out the truth."_

_"Do it soon. And __**properly**__, __for the love of God!"_

_Crane heard footsteps and quickly moved away, closer to his guard, who was talking angrily into his radio, clearly frustrated that he had made a mistake so soon. The nurse, Roberts, walked out, casting an angry glance at Crane as he rounded the corridor._

"Roberts? Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. I worked here, you know. He was talking to Penrose, about you."

Jenny slumped in her seat. If there was anyone that she would've thought she could trust it would've been Roberts.

_**That bastard. That fucking-**_

_Shut up._

"Ah, well, looks like we have to, uh, _move up _our schedule," the Joker said, his scars wrinkled slightly as he slightly frowned in thought.

"Move it up? How the hell are we gonna do that? Bullock has only copied two cards so far, we need a third if we-"

"_Why_?"

"Because there are sensors above the doors. If one card is scanned, and it senses two, or three, people go through it sets off the alarm. We don't want unnecessary attention. Plus, if we get split up we could be trapped-"

"Two will be enough."

"_No, it won't,"_ Crane hissed, his eyes burning. "We need three."

"I can get a third," Jenny said.

They both turned their heads to her.

"And how are you going to do that?"

"Just leave it to me. I'll get a third."

They left it at that.

They'd decided to make their move the next night, but it wasn't going to be easy. The Joker clearly didn't like making such solid plans, and Jenny thought she could see why; any number of things could go wrong. The best thing they could do was assume they would need to improvise.

They spent the full day, and the next, whispering in the ears of the more paranoid and persuasive patients. A few words was all it took. They were more than happy to agree to a riot. Most of them hadn't been in a riot for years. It was overdue. Joker said they were doing them a favour. Jenny wondered how many patients would be dead by the end of it, and whether they would be amongst them.

* * *

That night Jenny waited on the edge of her bed, before lights out, for the guard to bring her the pill. Ever since Crane had told her about the conversation yesterday, she knew who would bring it. And sure enough, at 10:50, ten minutes before lights out, Roberts showed up at her door. He smiled warmly. As he unlocked it, Jenny glanced across to the Joker's cell. He was stood, leaning against the back wall of his cell with one foot, his arms crossed and a knowing smile on his face. Jenny knew he'd just realised how she was going to get the third card.

"Long time no see, huh?" Roberts asked.

Jenny stood, adopting the dazed look that she had come to familiarise herself with. "Hi," she smiled. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too. I need to give you your pill," he said reaching into his pocket. His eyes widened and he patted his pockets. _Points for dramatic effect_. "I must've left them in the med room. I'll go get them.. Actually, why don't you just come down with me?" He asked, as if the idea had just suddenly come to him.

"Really?" She asked.

"Yeah, you won't give me any trouble, right?"

"Of course not," she smiled sweetly.

"Of course. Come on," he gestured and she left the cell with him, glancing at the Joker out of the corner of her eye. They reached the doors and the elevators, Roberts leading her through the door to the shower room. When they reached the door to the female shower room he grabbed her arm, opening it and pulling her in, making sure to lock it behind them.

"What-" she started, but Roberts pressed his hand over her mouth, pushing her against the cold, tiled wall. For a second Jenny remembered her first encounter with Scarecrow- the meeting that had started all of this.

"Ssshh," Roberts said, moving closer. "You know, you've been a real pain in the ass lately. You've been giving Penrose a lot of sleepless nights-" Jenny wriggled her mouth from his grasp but he replaced his hand before she could say anything. He pressed his pelvis against hers, keeping her in place, and Jenny almost vomited as she felt his excitement against her hip.

"You've been giving me a lot of sleepless nights too, but for different reasons," he murmured, using his other hand to stroke her cheek in a mock loving gesture. Jenny stopped struggling and he slowly moved his hand from her mouth. "Keeping you drugged up has worked for now, but he's looking for a more _permanent _solution." Jenny felt bile rise again, but knew that for her plan to work she had to seem confused and pliable. "You have no _fucking _idea," Roberts murmured, moving his lips to her ear, "how hard it's been, not giving you what you deserve before now. Seeing you every morning, standing outside this room while you shower.. Penrose wants you gone, but I guess I can have some fun beforehand. It's not like you'll be able to file a complaint." His hands moved down, one to her thigh and one under her shirt. His lips found her neck and he kissed it firmly, his teeth grazing the skin. Jenny tried not to roll her eyes, and moaned slightly. Roberts pulled back, grinning as he looked at her.

"You're still drugged up, aren't you? Enjoying it. No idea what's gonna happen to you after this," he laughed, his hands stopping their roaming.

"Don't-" she started.

"Don't _what_?"

"Don't stop."

Roberts gave a small growl, grabbing her and kissing her forcefully. His lips crushed against hers and she kissed him back, wondering if she would get a medal for her acting. His tongue entered her mouth and pressing her against the wall. She didn't feel her other half take control- lately it felt more like they were merging into one personality. She realised she had had enough, and bit down on his tongue as hard as she could. He yelled in pain, trying to pull back, but Jenny kept her teeth closed together, feeling blood pour from the gash in his tongue. She let go, watching as he pulled back, almost stumbling as he felt his mouth. His hand was covered in blood and he looked up at her, rage etched on his face.

"You little slut," he tried to yell, but the pain in his mouth meant it sounded more like an unintelligible mumble. He charged forwards but Jenny moved at the last second, grabbing his hair and ramming his head into the tiles. He crumpled to the floor, unconscious. She grinned. That was easier than she thought it would be. She searched his pockets, finding the key to the shower room and his security card, and gave him one last kick to the ribs before leaving. She opened the door a crack, looking for any guards and, satisfied, quickly walked back to her cell. She slipped in, closing it as close as she could, not being able to lock it from the inside. She looked across, seeing the Joker in the exact same position as he was in earlier. He watched as she smiled, waving the card at him. She felt an unusual emotion, almost as though she wanted him to be proud of her. He grinned, probably the widest grin she had seen, and it widened as he saw the blood around her mouth and spattered lightly across her shirt. She sat on the bed, listening as the guard entered and yelled 'Light's out!'. The lights turned off with a loud click, and if Jenny was in the Joker's cell she would've heard him mutter 'Let the gamess _begin_'.

* * *

Two chapters in one day, because I didn't upload one yesterday. Don't say I never do anything for you :P


	12. Chapter 12 Escape: Part One

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Twelve**

Jonathan stood, leaning on his shoulder against the cell wall, waiting. Three hours had passed since lights out. It would start any moment now. He could feel the excitement surge through him, amplified by Scarecrow's lust for violence. It was mixed with anticipation and slight trepidation. He had worked at the asylum for a long time- no one had ever escaped. Of course, there were those who had tried, but they were mostly mad dashes for freedom at the last minute, no planning involved. Their plan, with the guards, the cards and the preparation.. It might just work. It was crazy enough to actually stand a chance. It annoyed him that he had to rely partially on the Joker's planning. He was a doctor, for christ's sake. He should've been able to formulate an escape plan himself, not wait for some psychotic freak to do it for him. Still, he felt a surge of satisfaction knowing that he was the one who knew the layout of the asylum, and knew which guards to trust.

_**Free at last, Johnny. Just imagine what we could do.**_

_The possibilities... I don't know what I'd do first_

_**I do. **_Scarecrow thought of Jenny, and her image appeared in Crane's subconcious.

_I've wanted to for-_

_**For too long: You've wanted her, I've wanted her, for too fucking long. Remember how she felt? Pressed up against that wall.. **_Scarecrow growled in pleasure. _**I want to do that again. Play with her. Make her scream.**_

_You'll get your chance. We both will, but right now we need to concentrate. If we want to get out of here we need to stay focused. I don't want to end up shot before dawn.. _

Before he could say anything else he heard the sound- a short buzz of an alarm. From the direction it came from Crane guessed it was the lowest security wing. It had started. Murphy, one of the guards he had payed off, had started opening the cell doors. He was working his way around from lowest security, to medium, to maximum. He heard the excited shouts and mumblings of the patients in his wing. They knew there was going to be a riot, they just didn't know, or care, why. Just a few more minutes..

* * *

The Joker was still in his position. Leaning against the back wall of his cell, one foot against the wall, his arms crossed. He was waiting for the sound, the sound that would start the riots, the sound of the cells opening. He was excited, more excited than he had been for a long time. This would work, they'd leave. He didn't like trusting the ex-doctor for this part of the plan, but he didn't have any choice. He hoped he'd get to crack some skulls before they left. The corridor was almost pitch black, with just the dim moonlight casting shadows and illuminating the edges of objects. It was maybe 2, or 3am, and he could almost taste the anticipation and restlessness of the patients. They'd all heard about the riot, they had all stayed awake. They knew it was soon. He tried to look across the corridor into Aiken's cell and saw her outline on the bed. He was sure she had nodded off. She'd wake soon enough. He thought of her smile as she came back to her cell earlier, without the nurse, her mouth covered in blood, and felt a stirring in his groin. There was something about that girl. He didn't usually become interested in them, but the way she was becoming more and more insane, accepting it, realising its advantages.. He almost felt like an artist, and Aiken was his Mona Lisa. His head snapped up as he heard the buzz of the lowest security cells opening. It had started.

* * *

Barely two minutes later and the fourth buzz rang out; this one coming from the speakers right above their cells. The doors swung open.

Soon afterwards, Jenny jolted awake, hearing the riot before she saw it. The yells, and screams. How long had she slept? She jumped up, running out of the cell, almost colliding with a man running by. Papers littered the floor, mattresses dragged out of the cells, a few on fire- casting an eerie orange glow over the whole affair. She noticed the door next to the elevator was open, and wondered how far the patients had managed to get. She knew they had wanted to trash the interrogation rooms. She barged through the patients, jumping over one or two bodies already laying in pools of blood, looking for Crane and the Joker. Before she could fully get her bearings she had grappled with two patients, allowing her other half to take over. She didn't have time for fighting. Through the shadows and patients sprinting she saw a group of four of five patients, at the opposite end of the corridor to the elevators. Sprinting towards them she saw each charge forward, fighting with someone in the middle, before being knocked, unconscious to the ground by flying fists. She reached them, realising it was Crane. Well, by the look in his eyes, and the ferocity with which he fought them, she realised Scarecrow had taken control. She waited, growing anxious and impatient. Running forwards she kicked the last man, Garfield Lynns, hard in the shin, causing him to collapse in pain, before grabbing Scarecrow's wrist firmly. He wheeled around, a crazed look in his eye, before realising it was Jenny.

"Where's Joseph?" she yelled, trying to make herself heard over the racket.

He shrugged. She turned, dragging him down the corridor. He didn't protest. They ran, jumping out of the way as people lunged at them, or past them. They heard a manic cackling and turned to a cell, seeing the Joker dodging a furious patient. Toying with him. The Joker loved doing that. He noticed Jenny and Scarecrow stood at the door, and delivered a kick to the patient's ankles, grabbing him before he could hit the ground and breaking his neck with a swift movement. He followed them as they ran for the elevators, hearing the yells of the patients, in their element, and the roaring and crackling of the spreading fires. As fun as the riot was, they had other plans. Jenny scanned her card, and they ran into the elevator as it opened, thankful that those, at least, did not have sensors. She punched a button, watching as the doors began to close. The entire corridor was bathed in a bright orange light, reflected in the pools of blood. The doors shut firmly, muffling the yells and shrieking. Jenny leaned her head against the back of the elevator breathlessly.

"Nice of you to, uh, _join _us," the Joker grinned, as Scarecrow pushed the vent at the top of the elevator aside, feeling for the two cards that Bullock had left there for them.

"Was I asleep for long?"

"It'd only been going for about five minutes when you found me," Scarecrow said, handing a card to the Joker and ignoring the blood trickling from a cut above his eye.

"They did that in _five _minutes?" she asked, breathlessly. Scarecrow nodded, as the elevator door opened. He looked out, confused to see the office corridor instead of the ground floor. He didn't like being kept in the dark. The silence was strangely creepy after the shouting in the corridors below. The lights were out- the doctors must've been rushing downstairs to help control the riot.

"I thought we were _leaving_?" He asked, almost growling. A quick glance at the Joker, however, suggested that he hadn't planned this either.

"I need to do something first," Jenny said, beginning to make her way down the corridor.

"Need I remind you that there are guards with guns? They'll be on their way to the corridors right now, we can't-"

"The riot's out of control. There's no way they'll sort it out any time soon. Besides, this won't take long."

* * *

She opened the door, surprised to find it unlocked. The room was dark, and Penrose turned from his filing cabinet, which he had been rifling through in a panic, his hair stuck up and his glasses askew. His eyes were wide as the three patients entered; the Joker almost shaking with glee, Scarecrow murderous and focused, and Jenny furious and determined. Jenny flung the desk chair out of the way, grabbing the letter opener from the desk and pressing it against the doctor's throat. He whimpered, the calm and collected persona vanishing. A security alarm rang through the corridors, almost banshee-like. So high pitched it was painful on the ears. The sprinklers switched on, soaking everything. Jenny shook the wet hair out of her eyes, glaring at Penrose.

"Listen, I-"

"Shut up!" she shouted partly due to anger and partly due to the fact that she had to yell to make herself heard over the alarm and the sprinklers

"Hmm, Aiken isn't pleased with _you_, doc." The Joker was practically bouncing.

"I want to know the truth. Everything that you know!"

"Ab..about..what?" he asked, close to wetting himself. Scarecrow began opening cabinets and drawers, looking through the files, throwing anything that got in the way across the room.

"About me! Every fucking thing, right now, or I swear to god I'll slice your fucking throat open," she hissed, pressing the letter opener harder against his throat, making the doctor yelp. "_Why did I kill my parents_?"

"You.. please.. you didn't."

"_What!_?"

"You didn't! Please don't kill me!.. I tried.. I tried to convince you.. but it was taking too long.."

"What are you talking about?" Jennifer shook him, frustrated. He wasn't making sense.

"They were getting too close. Your father.. he knew.. he knew I killed Jeremiah. He tried to prove it.. I couldn't let him find the truth.."

"_What truth_?"

"I was test..testing.. th-the patients," Penrose answered, shakily, "Similarly to Crane, but my.. my medicine was lethal."

"You were killing the patients?" Scarecrow asked, rounding the table to get a better view of Penrose. He glanced sideways at Scarecrow, trying to keep the letter opener at bay.

"Ye-yes. I didn't mean to at first! But I kept- I kept doing it and Jeremiah Arkham.. he found out! He tried to stop me, and we fought.. I killed him."

"What does this have to do with _me_?" Jenny shouted over the alarm, growing more and more impatient.

"Three years, before your parents died, you- you came to me. Started therapy for your anxiety. Your father was a friend of Jeremiah's. When he went missing he tried to prove that it was me. You began.. you began exhibiting symptoms of multiple personality disorder, so every session I would draw the personality out.. try to convince it that your parents were cruel.. trying to plant false memories using hypnosis.. it took too long!" The letter opened pressed in further, drawing blood. Jenny ignored it, blinking away the water from the sprinklers, her eyes fixed on the doctor.

"I drove you home one night.. by that point it was really severe.. your multiple personalities I mean.. I waited behind you, as you opened the door.. and killed them.. in front of you.. th-the trauma, you blocked it out, ran away before I could kill you. I spent all night.. all night wiping any trace of you and your family from the databases. I was so scared that they would trace it back to me. By the next morning you and your parents didn't exist. When the cops found you the next night, I thought I was done for, but you confessed to the murders yourself! You didn't remember me being there, couldn't remember our sessions.. your name.. Didn't recognise me at all when I performed the psych evaluation.. throughout the night you forgot more and more, until you withdrew into your mind completely. Em-embraced the other personality. Became crazy, completely. Talked as if your parents were there.. I organised a few private sessions, before you were sectioned. Convinced you that your name was Jennifer Aiken. If- if you remembered your real name I'd be screwed.. I gave your file to Dr Casler.. he was so incompetent.. I knew he wouldn't figure anything out. For two years everything was fine.. until Crane told you that you killed your parents.."  
Jenny was frozen. She suddenly felt sick. She dropped the letter opened before running to the trash can and vomiting. Shaking, still being soaked by the sprinklers she stood. How could it be true? Why had she blocked it out? If she had just remembered what had happened, Penrose would have been arrested. It was all her fault.. hers and _his_. Scarecrow went back to looking through the filing cabinets and drawers. The Joker looked at her.

"Well, I think you should _kill _the doc, revenge for your mommy and daddy." He held out the letter opened to her. Penrose's eyes grew wide, but he was still frozen in place.

"Please.. please don't.. I did what I had to.. I didn't know-"

"You knew _EXACTLY _what you were doing!" Jenny screamed. She grabbed the letter opener, and the Joker almost skipped back a step, giving her room. She pressed the tip against his throat, before stopping suddenly. He whimpered.

"Oh.. thank you.. thank you so-"

"Where's your gun?"

"Wh-what?"

"Crane said you have a gun, for personal protection. Most of the doctors do. They keep them locked away. Where is yours?"

"No.. no- please don't-" She brought the letter opener up again.

"_Where is it_?" She was calmer now. She knew exactly what she was going to do. She was going to get revenge on that lying bastard. That lying, murderous, _bastard_.

"It's.. it's in the cupboard," he pointed to a cupboard behind Scarecrow, who spun around and noticed the cabinet on the ground. He kicked it open fiercely, taking out the gun and throwing it to Jenny. She caught it.

"I need string." The Joker grinned, wider and wider until Jenny was sure the scars would rip open. He looked around, and grabbed the string from the blinds at the window, ripping them down.

* * *

A few minutes later it was finished. Jenny had tied the string around the doctor's neck, and around the trigger of the gun which was hanging down from the curtain pole, which was behind him. The barrell of the gun was pointing directly to the doctor's temple. He was whimpering, his eyes tightly closed. Jenny smiled at her work.

"If you sit down, the string will pull the trigger and you'll die. If you _move at all_, you die. I wonder how long you can last.. It's gonna take a long time for them to sort out that riot.. Days maybe? No one will think to come up here for a while.. do you think you can last that long? You really only have two options, doc. Stay still, and be driven crazy from the thought of an extremely painful death being one tug of the string away, or move and paint your walls red... It'd be better than cream anyway." The Joker whooped with laughter. At the moment he was aroused, proud, excited.. so many emotions that he couldn't keep track of. The alarm was still blaring, the sprinklers still soaking everything. Jenny grinned at him. Penrose wanted to drive her crazy, now the shoe was on the other foot. The Joker sauntered towards him, savouring his whimpering. Scarecrow had a small smirk on his face, clearly relishing the doctor's fear.

"In place of our _madness_, Penrosssseee, you gave us, uh, _restraint_ and called it a product of your _sanity_. But how sanneee do you feel now, doc, now that you're restrained?" The Joker hissed, his face inches from the doctor's.

"Here." Scarecrow's voice brought her out of her thoughts and she turned, making her way over to him at the desk. The Joker followed. Scarecrow handed the Joker his file, grabbed his own and gave Jenny hers. The real one, that Penrose had used in their sessions. The three of them opened the files, hnched over them slightly to protect them from the sprinklers. They red the doctor's notes in silence, ignoring the alarm.

"Hmm, illusions of grandeur.. sadissstic humour.." The Joker mumbled to himself, grinning as he found out how his multiple doctors had tried to explain his unpredictable, and homicidal, behaviour. "Unstable behaviourrrr.. lack of self preservation, lack of empathy.. _asexual_? Hmm, well _that's _not true.," he giggled.  
Scarecrow was reading his and Crane's in silence, his brow furrowed in concentraion, perhaps having a mental conversation with Crane right then. Jenny looked through hers, amazed at the five year's worth of notes that Penrose, Casler and, most recently, Crane, had amassed. 'Signs of severe anxiety.. appears to talk to herself on multiple occasions.. has shown highly unpredictable behaviour as of late.. gaps in memory.. no apparent social skills.. derealization.." She stopped reading. Her head hurt. She flicked through the pages, stopping on a photograph. It was of a teenaged girl, sat in front of a man and a woman who looked around 35 or 40, who each had a hand on her shoulder, smiling broadly. She must have only been 15, or 16. Her hair was short, held in place by a thin white hairband. The woman was beautiful. Bright blue eyes and blonde curly hair, wearing a flowery dress. The man was practically grinning. His hair was short and brown, the same shade as the girl's. She realised they were her parents. The girl was _her_. She felt tears in her eyes and quickly flipped the pages back to the start, looking at her profile. The photograph, a mug shot, must have been taken mere hours after she was found. Her eyes were dull, almost as though they weren't really looking at anything, her hair tangled and flecks of blood visible at the top of her shirt. There were two sets of information underneath. the official information listing her name as Jennifer Aiken, the information that Penrose had created for her, and the real information. Jennifer stared at it, not recognising any of it. Her address looked alien. Her eyes fell on her real name. It didn't look familiar. Didn't ring any bells.. She gazed at it until her vision became blurry and she looked up. The Joker and Scarecrow were closing their files, Scarecrow frowning, the Joker grinning. She left the file open, allowing the sprinklers to soak it through, turning the paper into a soggy mess- destroying the information. She glared at Penrose who was still stood, his eyes tightly shut, the string cutting slightly into his neck.

"Can you hear it, doc? The shouts, the gunfire.. all of your security, doc, breached like a wet paper bag... all your hard work, undone in a twinkling of frenzy, I like the word 'twinkling' don't you? Everything you've tried to prevent, everything you've accomplished, is shattered. Just like your mind right now, doc, shattered. Don't worry; we'll come back and see what's happened to you, we won't leave you here forever. I wonder.. will we see your brain coating the walls, or see you as insane as everyone you've treated over the years? I don't know what I want more.." She smiled wryly, before turning and making her way to the door to escape from the Asylum once and for all. Scarecrow and the Joker followed her.

"Uhh, beau-ti-ful, you're coming _back_?" The Joker asked, confused.

"No."

* * *

Longest chapter so far :) Penrose finally got his comeuppance, thank god haha. The gun/string device was used by the Joker in _Knightfall_.

**rosebaby123: **Thanks so much for the review. I hope this chapter was worth the wait!

**Nameless Fable: **Woo, thank you :3 It's hard to break new ground when it comes to Crane and the Joker, so that makes me feel great :D

As always, thank you so much for the favourites, follows, and reviews :D Onwards!


	13. Chapter 13 Escape: Part Two

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Thirteen**

"How the hell do we get out of here?" Jenny asked, once they were in the corridor, pretending that nothing had happened in the office. The alarm was louder there, but none of them payed any attention to it.

"This way," Scarecrow said, leading them down the corridor and around a corner. They found themselves in another corridor. This one more decorated, with plants and paintings at regular intervals. Jenny guessed that the patients were not permitted to come this way. They ran, eventually reaching another elevator. "This'll take us to the back section of the asylum," Scarecrow said, scanning his card and pressing the button. "It's all secure, that's why we need the cards. We've lost some time so the guards might already be there waiting for us." They entered, all wondering what would wait for them when the doors opened again. They all silently agreed that they would just have to run as though their lives depended on it- which it did. Scarecrow was sceptical that they would get anywhere near the exit, Jenny didn't particularly care at that moment, the Joker was excited at the prospect of more violence. The door beeped open and they froze. A group of guards stood, mere feet away, most holding guns. They didn't seem to be waiting for them, but as the door opened they turned, all yelling incoherently in shock. The three patients charged as fast as they could, crashing into the guards. They barely had time to get to their feet before the guards surrounded them, obviously unwilling to use their guns unless absolutely necessary. Before they knew it they were engaged in a three-against-thirty violent battle. The Joker shrieked with glee, using his classic 'toy-with-them' technique to make the guards exhausted and frustrated. Scarecrow growled, using his fingers to claw at the eyes of the armed men and his fists to knock as many down as he could. Jenny relied on her other half, who slipped into control as easily as putting on a glove, using her legs and fists to break whatever bones she could hit. After a while she looked around, waiting for the next guard to run forward, before realising that the Joker had the last five to himself. He was moving almost too fast to see, and Jenny stared wide-eyed. She'd never seen fighting like that. 'Anything goes' was an understatement. He was using whatever body parts he could to inflict damage. He was grabbing hair, genitals, poking his fingers in their eyes forefully. He didn't care about knocking them to the floor, he wanted to kill them. She began to rush forward to help, before realising that she would probably do more harm than good. Watching, she marvelled at the Joker's complete disregard of his own safety. He really was crazy, bat-shit insane. A few minutes later the ground was covered in guards. Most dead, but some unconscious. All sporting broken bones, deep gashes and bloody noses. Jenny looked around at them, before she suddenly realised the alarm was still blaring. Scarecrow had grabbed her arm, his fingers wrapped tightly enough to cut off the blood supply, as the three of them sprinted.

They reached a white security cage, and Jenny fumbled with her card, scanning it and barging through before it could close automatically. Scarecrow followed her, with the Joker bringing up the rear, snapping the necks of two guards as they approached. Gunshots rang out and Jenny felt something whizz past her ear. Her blood ran cold as she realised it was a bullet. She ducked her head slightly, running after Scarecrow who was leading the way through a maze of corridors and security cages. Eventually they saw the large green 'Exit' sign, above the back door, and Jenny breathed a sigh of relief.. or disbelief.. she wasn't sure. Were they actually going to make it? As another bullet hit the wall next to her she was spurred into action, following the Joker and Scarecrow as they ran as though the devil was chasing them. Reaching the door, the Joker slammed his body against it, forcing it open in a shower of splinters. Shots rang out again and the alarm grew even louder as the speakers outside picked up the call.

They ran, and ran, faster than they ever had in their entire lives. Jenny's side burned and her breath came in short, painful bursts but she refused to stop. They had made it this far. The outer fence loomed over them suddenly and Jenny and Scarecrow slowed down, realising the full height. The Joker, however, sped up, giggling as he crashed against the fence. He managed to get a firm hold, almost a quarter of the way up, and began to climb. The other two followed, the bullets getting dangerously closer. Jenny heard one crash against the metal of the fence and almost shrieked. She twisted her head, trying to look behind her as she climbed and almost lost her grip in shock at the swarms of guards, orderlies and doctors that were exiting the building, all heading towards them. Still looking at them she reached up again, yelling in pain as her hand closed on something sharp and hard. Looking up she saw she had gripped razor wire, the sharp edges now cutting her skin dangerously deep. A hand reached out and she saw Scarecrow reaching down from the top, not seeming to notice his grip on the razors. She grabbed his hand, shocked at how slippy her grip was from the blood, and was helped up to the top. Pulling herself over the top of the fence, her clothing ripped to shreds and drops of blood fell to the ground far below. She dropped on the other side, a sharp jarring in her legs almost causing her to collapse, before they heard the gates of the asylum grounds open with a large grinding noise, and they turned to see the guards spilling out, aiming their guns. They ran again.

* * *

In a thick tangle of trees they stopped, hearing the alarm in the distance but physically unable to sprint any further without a break. Jenny felt tears in her eyes, threatening to escape, from the multiple emotions that she had managed to keep at bay throughout most of the night.  
"I suppose nobody planned on a place to lay low once we were out of the asylum?" Scarecrow asked, his hands on his knees as though he had just finished a marathon.

"I, uh, have a place," the Joker said, his voice sounding more hoarse than usual. He was watching Jenny from the corner of his eye, his arousal growing. He was already close to jumping her, after seeing her return to her cell so proudly after killing that nurse. Now here she stood, having just escaped from a maximum security asylum for the criminally insane, having killed more than a handful of guards in the process. Her blood covered clothes didn't make him feel any less excited. Not to mention her _genius _invention for the doc.

"'You have a place'?" Jenny repeated.

"Yeah. It'll do, while we _hide _out."

"Where is it?"

"The Narrows."

".. Of course it is."

"Feel free to turn back, _sweet_heart."

A rustling drew her attention and she turned in time to see a rogue guard, obviously scouting ahead of the others, in a bush nearby. She reacted quickly, sprinting towards him. His eyes grew wide and he tried to crawl backwards but she grabbed an ankle, pulling him towards her. She straddled him awkwardly, looming over him. "What did you hear?"

"I didn't- nothing!"

She moved her lips closer, almost whispering. "You're _lying_."

"I'm.. I'm not! I didnt-"

"Kill him," Jenny looked up to see the Joker stood over them, a strange glint in his eye.

"Please, I won't tell anyone where you-"

He stopped as Jenny held up a phone that she had found in his front pocket. It had a half-finished message already typed: '_Escapees currently in woodland. Overheard plans to hide in the Narrows. Send as many.._'

"You didn't hear anything? Did your phone type this itself?"

"Please, please don't kill me."

"_Kill him_."

If she let him go, they would find them. They'd track them down, send them back to Arkham. She couldn't go back there, not when she finally had the chance to get away from the place. She gulped, making her decision, before grabbing the guard's head and twisting it, snapping his neck. She stood, and suddenly found herself pinned against a tree, a growl emanating from her assailant. She saw moonlight shining on thick scars before the Joker's lips crashed onto hers. He was rough, urgent, reflecting the way he fought. His teeth nipped at her bottom lip, and Jenny gasped slightly. The Joker used it to his advantage, his tongue entering her mouth. Suddenly she felt the emotions from the last few hours pouring out, and found herself kissing him back. She moaned slightly in his mouth and the Joker grabbed her hips, slamming her into the trunk again as a growl of pleasure emanated low in his throat. She ran a hand through his hair, feeling his lips move against hers, deepening the kiss. Her tongue ran along the inside of his mouth, feeling the scar tissue. It had never occurred to her, now an obvious fact, that the scars were _inside _his mouth as well. There was no space between them, pressing their bodies against each other as the atmosphere almost buzzed with impulsiveness. As suddenly as it began, it was over. He moved his lips back, grinning as Jenny opened her eyes to look at him. His hands left her hips and, as Jenny tried to make sense of what just happened, he winked, before moving away, with Scarecrow stood in the background with a sour look on his face.

* * *

By the time they reached the part of the Narrows where the Joker apparently 'had a place', they were all exhausted, and Jenny was close to collapsing. They had used the thin sliver of forest that bordered one side of the Narrows as cover, only emerging when they absolutely had to. It was around 5am at that time, so most of the residents were going to bed, seeing as how the Narrows was the preferred place for most of Gotham's nocturnal criminals. Still, they took to the alleys, thankfully not running into anyone along the way, apart from one drunken old man who asked them for a beer as they passed the group of trash vans that he was leaning against. They could no longer hear the asylum's alarms, and Jenny hoped that they had managed to completely throw off any guards that may have been following them. They had taken so many turns and detours, and had doubled back so many times that she couldn't imagine anyone being able to keep up. The blood dripping from their wounds from the razor wire, however, was now falling so often that Jenny wondered if the guards could use it as as a trail, a gruesome Hansel and Gretel-type tracker.

"At least the Batman isn't around.." Crane said, who had momentarily taken control again after Scarecrow expressed his boredom.

"The _Bat_-man," the Joker scoffed. "Now there's someone who really belongs in Arkham.."

Jenny remained silent. She didn't know much about the Batman, just what she had heard from the other patients. Apparently he had appeared out of nowhere a few months ago, beating up criminals, doing what the police couldn't. Most of the newest patients at Arkham were there because of the Batman, and whenever his name was mentioned it was always spat out with a large amount of hatred. The Joker had repeatedly expressed his hatred at the fact that he had been locked in Arkham before the Batman had appeared in Gotham- he would've liked to meet him in person.

The Joker stopped in an alley, next to an abandoned block of apartments, retrieving a key from somewhere behind a dumpster. He approached the side door, unlocking the thick chains that kept it closed shut, before entering, waiting for the others to follow. They entered a small room, almost grey with dust and cobwebs. Most of the furniture was covered in white sheets, or covered in graffiti from where teenagers had tried their hands at criminal damage. Through the door across the room they faced a large set of stairs, and looking up, Jenny saw that it went all the way to the roof. They stopped on the third floor, entering an apartment with a red door.

It was exactly what Jenny was expecting. A hell of a lot cleaner than the rest of the building, but still looking as though it hadn't seen a dustpan and brush for a few decades. The furniture was covered in the same type of white sheet seen downstairs, and the curtains hung halphazardly, letting slivers of light into the room. The living room led to a small open kitchen, just behind the main couch which faced an obviously stolen tv set. There was a small corridor next to the kitchen which Jenny assumed led to the bathroom and bedrooms.

"Make yourselves at _hommmme," _the Joker said, in a slight sing-song voice before jumping on to the couch and propping his feet up. Jenny looked at Scarecrow. His awkward expression suggested that Crane still in control. They slowly made their way forward, each taking one of the single chairs either side of the Joker's couch, wondering what was next for them.

* * *

We've reached a milestone. **Over 1,000 views**! Thank you so much to everyone who's taken time to read this story, you're all awesome :D

In some previous chapters I've made a few errors regarding continuity and problems with the timeline. But, now that I have a firm idea on where this story is going, I've gone back and made a few minor changes. Basically, the Joker appeared in Gotham, terrorised people, and was locked up in Arkham. This happened before Batman arrived, and the Joker (when he was caught) was considered a small-time villain. None of the other criminals had heard of him, so at first, few people were actually afraid of him. Since being locked in Arkham however, he's gained a bit of a reputation as someone who generally doesn't give two fucks, and is therefore very dangerous.

**itspeanutbutterjellytimex3**: Thanks so much for pointing this out, I'd barely noticed it haha. At that point I was considering writing a more complex past for Jenny-perhaps she had killed more people than she had previously thought etc. but as time went on it didn't make much sense so I left it out :) I've gone back and changed it. I'm glad you're enjoying the story :)

**samiantha: **Thanks so much! I originally started this with the intention of making Crane and Jenny a romantic couple, but things seemed to run their own course! You never know, though, Crane doesn't seem happy about Jenny and the Joker's intimacy, so anything could happen ;) Hopefully this chapter helps with your obsession of Jenny/Joker though haha.

**bethdelusional: **That means a lot, thank you! It's so hard to write the Joker and Crane accurately, so I've had to do it as best I can, adding a little spin here and there :)

**Nameless Fable:** Here's the Batman for you :D It's taken a while for his name to crop up, but he gets a lot more involved as time goes on :) And yes, we'll definitely find out her real name, though it may take a while ;)


	14. Chapter 14 Independence

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Fourteen**

_"..the escapees are known to be armed and extremely dangerous. Gotham PD have reassured the public that the Batman is on the case. Anyone who spots these criminals should not approach them. Instead call Gotham Police Department on.."_

They sat, watching the tv as the news anchor discussed their escape for the hundredth time. Now he was talking to some psychiatrist from Washington about how they all had daddy issues, and just needed a hug. Crane snorted in disgust as he stood up.

"Do you have any food?" he asked as he made his way to the kitchen, in a tone which suggested he already knew the answer.

"No."

"Do you have any drinks?"

"As a matter of fact I _do_."

Crane waited for the Joker to tell him where they were before realising what he was doing. "... Can I _have _one?"

Now it was the Joker's turn to snort, with laughter. "Re_frig_-era-tor."

Crane found the cans of beer and grabbed three, returning and handing one to each of them. Jenny took it, giving a small smile of thanks. The whole thing felt strange to her, almost like they were college roommates, which was ridiculous in itself. She gasped as the cold beer can agitated the cuts on her hands, almost forgotten about until now. The Joker heard the gasp and looked at her, glancing at the cuts before walking to the kitchen and silently returning with a roll of gauze. She thanked him and wrapped the wounds as best as she could.

* * *

By the time night rolled around again they were all agitated. Being locked in a tiny apartment together with nothing to do was not very amusing. They did get a kick over hearing a police helicopter nearby, knowing that they were looking for them. They had barely said two words to each other and as the ten o'clock news jingle rang out Jenny realised how exhausted she was. She hadn't slept for nearly 48 hours. Glancing at the other two she had to suppress her laughter. Crane was in his chair, fast asleep with his head titled backwards slightly. He looked weird- all of his self-importance and smugness was gone. He looked strangley innocent, and Jenny realised how young he really was. In the asylum, with his glasses and suits, he seemed older and experienced, but now he looked as though he'd only been out of college for a year or two. Knowing how intelligent he was, however, she wouldn't be surprised if he had skipped a few school years and fast-tracked to get a degree. The Joker was awake, still looking in the direction of the tv, but she wondered whether he was really watching it. Clearing her throat she stood, awkwardly.

"I think I'm gonna get some sleep."

"Good idea, beau-ti-ful."

As she walked past the couches she stopped. "Uh, is there a spare bedroom or something?"

Even from where she stood she was sure she could see the grin spread across his face. "It's a one-bedroom apartment _sweet_heart."

For a moment she stood awkwardly, unsure of what to do or where to go? Should she ask if she can sleep in the bed? Sit back down in her armchair and fall asleep like Crane? Before she could come to a decision the Joker stood, brushing miniscule specks of dust from his trousers before walking past Jenny down the short corridor.

"I'll, uh, _show _you." She followed, more curious than anything. The bedroom was covered in wallpaper similar to the living room- dark green with red flowers. There was a large wardrobe against the right wall, a small window in front of them and the large bed to the left. The room didn't seem to have been used much. The Joker spread his arms wide, as if to say 'Ta-da!". Jenny stood in the doorway.

"The bed doesn't bite, Aiken. You, uh, _need _sleep," the Joker said, before turning and sliding past Jenny, back to the living room. She watched him go before shutting the door softly and climbing into the bed. It was surprisingly soft, and it was only when her head hit the pillow that she realised just how tired she really was. The events of the last few hours replayed in her mind, feeling like a film on fast-forward. The one scene she tried to skip was Penrose's revelation but her mind circled back to it, as though it was purposely making her want to vomit again. She couldn't wrap her head around it. It was far too much. He had killed her parents and blamed her, destroyed her mind, wiped her family off the face of the earth. Hate coursed through her again, and she wondered if he had been shot yet. Surely no one can stand for that long? Maybe the guards had found him before he died.. or maybe he did go insane. With that pleasant thought she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

_She woke up, stretching as the sunlight shined through the window. Standing she made her way to the bathroom, smiling at her first day of freedom. Opening the door she was greeted by blinding white. Confused she looked around, noticing the plain bed, the white walls, the glass front with the large silver lock. Her heart sunk and she ran to the door, trying to opening it and finding it locked. She banged on the wall frantically.  
"Hello? I'm not supposed to be here! Help me!" A figure approached and she locked eyes with Penrose. He smiled, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses.  
"But you are supposed to be here. You left but you weren't supposed to. Just because you ran away doesn't mean you're suddenly sane. You're meant to be in here. And you're not leaving again." He grinned before walking away, leaving Jenny screaming, banging against the door, desperate to get out._

She sat up suddenly, panting, her eyes wide. _Just a dream_. But a fucking vivid one. She ran her hands through her hair, looking around the room. It was still the Joker's bedroom, not the sterile cell at the asylum. A blue-ish light shone through the crack in the curtains, and she figured it must've been just before dawn. A movement to her left made her jump and she turned to see the Joker next to her.

"What the fuck-" She shuffled sideways, away from him and almost over the edge. He was awake, and watching her with an almost curious expression.

"Bad dream?" He asked.

"What the fuck are you doing in here?"

"This, uh, is _my _bed," he said grinning at how flustered she was.

"I thought you were letting _me _use it?"

"I was. But I never said I _wasn't g_oing to use it, did I?"

"Well-" she stopped, realising he was right. "You're an _ass_."

He laughed. "Sticks and stonesss. It's perfectly normal that you're, uh, _upset _that nothing happened. We've got all the time in the world, beau-ti-ful." He nodded to the wardrobe. "There's clothes in there. As much as you suit orange I don't think you want to walk around in the clothes from the place you just _escaped _from." Jenny looked down, realising she was still wearing the orange jumpsuit, covered in blood. "You can get a shower first. I won't peek."

She shook her head, leaving the room and closing the door loudly behind her. Crane was still asleep. She entered the bathroom.

* * *

Ten minutes later she left the bathroom, a white towel wrapped around herself, and almost walked into the Joker. He raised his eyebrows as she stumbled back, before slipping past him and entering the bedroom, being sure to close the door after her.

The wardrobe, which was almost twice as large as the one in her cell, contained a variety of clothing, most of which Jenny could never imagine the Joker wearing. There were a few pairs of jeans, plain t-shirts, suits, shirts, sneakers and plain black business shoes, and hanging to the left, slightly seperate to everthing else- a purple suit, green waistcoat and purple pants. She examined it for a moment before grabbing some jeans, converse and a blue t-shirt. She sat on the edge of the bed and had barely pulled on the converse when the door opened and the Joker entered, a towel around his waist.

"Don't you knock-" she started, looking up before stopping herself in shock. His body was pale, and covered in bruises and scars, some looking almost as old as he was, others relatively newer. She stared, as he shut the door and made his way over to the wardrobe. She looked down at her shoes, feeling too uncomfortable to move at all, as she heard him rummage around, getting ready. When she looked up he was pulling on the purple jacket, the purple trousers and green waistcoat already on- a light purple shirt underneath with a geometric pattern. She watched, surprised at how much it suited him. He seemed to be more relaxed, more at home. He moved his head round to lock eyes with her and she quickly cleared her throat, leaving and hearing him follow her into the living room.

Crane looked up as they entered, clearly having just woken up. He raised his eyebrows at them as they entered, perhaps questioning what on earth they were doing in the bedroom together. Jenny sat in her armchair, trying to put a smuch distance between herself and the Joker as possible- attempting to quash any speculation early.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, before Jenny felt her stomach growl and decided that she couldn't go any further without some kind of nutrition.

"Is there a store nearby?" she asked.

The Joker looked at her. "Probably."  
_Well, that's helpful _

"I'm gonna go get some food."

"Are you _insane_?" Crane asked, sitting straighter.

"Considering I spent the last two years locked in an asylum, I'd say so."

"We're three crazy, homicidal patients, on the run from _everyone_. Our faces are being broadcast on every tv in Gotham, and you wanna go waltzing through town, _shopping_?"

"It's barely daybreak. Gotham's freaks are only just going to bed, and Gotham's civilised side of society aren't awake yet. Now's our best chance. I don't know about you guys, but I'm freaking starving. The shops will be shut, I can sneak in and take some food before anyone notices."  
Before anyone could protest, she left, making her way down the stairs and out of the door into the alley. There was a strange purple light- day and night mixed together as though someone couldn't choose one or the other. She walked to the edge of the alley, checking for any signs of life before deciding it was safe. Almost a block away she saw a small shop, looking slightly worse for wear. Checking that nobody was around she smashed the window, gritting her teeth at the noise, before unlocking the door and entering. The shop was dark, but she could make out rows of groceries and boxes of fod lining the shelves. Grabbing random boxes and a few of her favourites such as pizzas and bags of chips, she began to fill a few shopping bags. She couldn't help thinking about the owners of the store; would they be upset? Angry? She felt extremely guilty before convincing herself that having no alarm system in the Narrows was a very foolish thing to do. She was doing them a favour; once they realised they'd been robbed they'd get an alarm fitted.

Satisfied she slinked out, choosing to stick to the alleys as much as possible. It was getting lighter, people would be waking up now. She entered another alley, and sped up slightly as she heard footsteps behind her.

_Shit. Police?_

She moved into the shadows slightly, hoping the figure would pass. Instead he approached her, and Jenny glanced at him, seeing a scruffy hooded sweatshirt and jeans. Probably not a cop then.

"You shouldn't be out here on your own," a low voice said. She was still walking, the man keeping pace next to her. "Didn't your daddy ever tell you not to go into dark alleys?"

_He's gonna recognise me_, she thought wildly, imagining being dragged back to her cell.

"Hey! I'm talking to you-" A callused hand grabbed her roughly and she reacted, throwing down the bags and kicking the man, aiming for the groin, but missing and hitting the top of his thigh. He grunted, before straightening, leering. "You should be nicer to me. I'm the one in charge, here, sweetie." He lunged, pressing her against the wall. She moved as far to the left as she could as she swung her fist, hitting him in the jaw. She almost yelped at the unexpected pain, and remembered the cuts on her bandaged hands. Distracted, she saw a glint of silver and felt a sharp scratch down her cheek. Furious she tried to curl her foot around his ankle to trip him as he tried to push her back to the wall, ignoring the burning in her hands. She finally managed it, grabbing the man's hair, slamming his head against the bricks. He tilted slightly, dazed and disorientated before collapsing to the floor. Breathless she stood over him, not bothering to check his pulse. The sickening crack as his skull hit the bricks was enough. Grabbing a hold of him under his arms she dragged him to the side of a dumpster, figuring anyone who found him would put it down to a typical Narrow's scuffle, before grabbing the bags and running the rest of the way back to the apartment block.

* * *

"We were starting to think you were dead-" Crane said in an almost monotone voice as he heard the door open.

"Yeah, well, unfortunately for you I'm still here," Jenny answered, kicking the door shut. He turned his head from his position in his armchair as she came further into the apartment, and stared at her. Unpacking the bags she noticed his gaze. "What?"

"What the fuck happened?" For a second she wondered how he knew something had happened but then remembered the scratch on her face and felt it, pulling back her fingers and seeing blood.

"I ran into some guy in an alley. It's fine."

"Did he recognise you?" he asked as he walked over.

"No," she answered, her eyes narrowing as Crane stood inches from her, and examined the cut- his hand on the side of her face to prevent her from moving. "And even if he did, he can't _tell _anyone."

Their eyes met as Crane realised what she meant. His expression didn't give anything away. They both realised his hand was still on the side of her face and he retracted it, grabbing one of the bags and helping her unpack.

"Where's Joseph?"

"In the _bedroom_," his tone suggested that he remembered seeing them leaving that same room together earlier. "On the phone."

"We have a _phone_?" she asked incredulously, packing away a box of pop tarts and opening a bag of chips.

"Apparently so. He's organising something."

"What?"

"I don't know. Why would he get me involved? All I know is that he clearly hates being cooped up in here. He's trying to get back out there."

"Well that's all we need.."

The Joker emerged, his face covered in the grease paint that people associated him with so much. He had never looked so comfortable. He glanced at Jenny's cut, grinned at the obvious evidence of a fight and began to leave.

"Where are you going?" Crane asked.

"Have business to att-_end_ to."

"Business? What kind?"

"Doesn't con_cern_ you."

"It does if it could get us caught-"

Jenny interjected, "Joseph, you haven't eaten anything."

The Joker sighed dramatically, twirled on the spot to face them and made his way over. He grabbed a handful of chips from the open bag before remembering something. He walked around the counter, behind Jenny and pressed her into it as he reached behind her for something. Pulling back he waved a small knife at them before pocketing it in his purple overcoat and leaving.

"Fucking idiot," Crane murmured.

"How so?"

"Come on. Working a job so soon? We haven't been out for, what, even three days? And you're both running around- him in _face paint_. It's like he wants us to get caught."

"Relax, it's the Joker. He knows what he's doing."

"Better than you, hopefully," Crane scoffed, nodding at her scratch. "One fuck up and we're back at Arkham."

* * *

Unfortunately this part of the story is a little slow. There's not much you can do when an entire city is on the lookout for you. I may add a bit of a timejump, only a few weeks or so. We'll have to see :) Thanks so much for sticking with this, I love you guys :)

**bethdelusional: **Thanks so much :) And yeah I didn't want to make it too easy for them, they have to work for their freedom ;D I think the Joker loves how Jenny is changing, he sees it as a win for himself because one of the things he loves doing is showing people how much better it is to just let go of sanity and do whatever the hell you like :)

**samiantha: **It's gonna be difficult to incorporate Batman more without running the risk of getting one, or all three of them, caught. In Batman's eyes they're just three insane killers that he has to find and return. Hopefully one of them can change his mind ;) Thanks for reading!

**LibertyForFreedom455: **Thank you so much! I'm always worried that I'm not doing the characters justice so that means a lot :) To be honest I wasn't really expecting the kiss either haha. It just seemed to work so well in that situation, with the adrenaline of escaping and the Joker seeing Jenny kill someone, which for him is hugely arousing haha.

**Nameless Fable: **Gotta love a jealous Crane ;) I'm not really planning on a threesome at the minute haha, I'm just seeing where the story takes me. I think at this point Jenny sould have a relationship with either of them, but the Joker seems a lot more impulsive than Crane who, for now, is a bit silent on the matter. He's like a sulking child! Thanks so much for reviewing :)


	15. Chapter 15 Improve and Develop

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Fifteen**

_"The heist is believed to have been orchestrated by 'The Joker', a man responsible for several murders in Gotham city, as well as a number of explosions and fires in Gotham's central district, three years ago. The Joker, of course, is one of three patients who recently escaped from Arkham Asylum during a malicious riot, believed to have been orchestrated by The Joker and the two other escapees to cover their getaway attempt. It is unclear whether his two accomplices, Jennifer Aiken and ex-psychologist Jonathan Crane, were also involved in the robbery. In other news, Bruce Wayne has donated a large sum of money to St. Swithin's orphanage.."_

Jennifer and Crane sat in silence. They were speechless. They had turned on the news to see security footage of the Joker robbing a small bank on the outskirts of Gotham, shooting at anyone who tried to speak and blowing up the front desk as he left. As the news report started, the Joker himself returned home, watching the report with interest. As it finished Jenny and Crane looked at him, both furious.

"What the _fuck _were you thinking?" Jenny asked, her eyes wide.

"No need to get _angry_. I was just, uh, practising."

"For _what_?"

"Bigger banks."

"You _idiot_. Do you want us to get caught?" Crane asked, his voice dripping with anger.

"And give up on all of this quality time with you, scarechum? Now why would I want _that_?"

Jenny ran a hand through her hair. "Joseph, you're drawing attention to us. What if someone followed you here?"

"They didn't."

"But how do you know that?"

"I _know_."

"I thought the plan was to lay low, until the news stopped reporting about us? Wait until it was at least a ittle safer to go outside?"

"Says the girl who went shop-_ping _this morning."

"I got us food! I, unlike you, do not want to starve to death! I kept to the alleys, stayed in the shadows.. you, on the other hand, waltzed right into a busy bank and _blew the place up_!" Jenny's voice had increased in volume, almost on the verge of shouting.

"What's the point of escaping, if we can't have any _fun_?" The Joker asked, still grinning at his achievement.

"This is absurd. We're going to get _killed_," Crane muttered, opening a can of coca-cola and sipping it.

Jenny glared at the Joker, seeing his face still incredibly amused by how worried she was. He didn't seem to realise how much danger he had put them in. "Fuck this," she mumbled, grabbing a beer can from the kitchen counter and retreating to the bedroom.

* * *

It had been a while since she had finished the beer, and she was now sat on the edge of the bed, staring towards the wardrobe but not really seeing it. She was angry at herself. The Joker's escapade actually adn't really bothered her. As much as she hated seeing him kill people for no apparent reason she couldn't help but admit to herself that there was no way he'd do something as stupid as lead people right to their apartment. He had clearly had it for a while, and no SWAT team had come knocking on the door so far. Her anger was mostly because of herself. She kept going over the incident in the alley. She had fought a group of armed guards, knocking them down easily enough, so why had some thug in the Narrows managed to cut her face before she could kill him? She knew she had reacted too slow. She should've turned on him as soon as he spoke. Plus her injured hands didn't help. She couldn't assume that she would always be ready for a fight. She had to do something, to make sure that she could react quicker, fight whether she had been previously injured or not. As she was thinking this the door opened and Crane entered.

"Just getting some clean clothes.." he explained, walking to the wardrobe. Jenny watched him as he sorted through the suits, finally settling on a simple black suit not unlike the one he used to wear when he was still a doctor. She stood, a wild thought ocurring to her.

"Can I help you, Miss Aiken?" he asked, confused.

"Hit me."

"..excuse me?"

"Hit me. In the face."

"Why would I do that?"

"I need to get better at fighting. Now hit me."

"Miss Aiken, I'm not going to-"

"Stop calling me 'Miss Aiken'. You're not a doctor anymore. You're a psychotic _ex_-doctor who got caught, locked up and is now on the run from his former colleagues. You need to get off that high horse, and realise that we're actually in this together," she snapped. Crane raised an eyebrow.

"Okay.. Jennifer. Why on earth would I hit you?"

"Because I asked you to. Like I said, I need to get better at fighting. I got lucky in the alley this morning. I'm not about to run that risk again. Now, for the love of god, Jonathan, _hit me_."

"I'm not hitting you."

"Fine. Let Scarecrow do it."

Crane stiffened. "Scarecrow would _kill _you."

"Well that would give me an incentive to fight better, wouldn't it?"

"You're crazy."

"That's already been established. Just let him out, Jonathan."

He took off his glasses, put them in his pocket and closed his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose in frustration. "This isn't a game, Jennifer. As much as he would like to see _you _again, he does not play well with others. This can only end badly."

"Can't you handle him?"

"I-excuse me?"

"You can see what he's doing, right? So if he gets too.. homicidal, try to call him off."

"And if I can't?"

"We'll deal with that if we come to it."

"I will only agree if you let your 'other half' out too."

Jenny smiled wryly. "I don't think she really exists anymore. She's kinda.. I don't know.. merged into me lately, almost as though we're becoming one person." She shrugged, not thinking it important, and watched him closely- knowing that he was clearly having a heated mental debate with Scarecrow. After a few minutes he sighed.

"Fine." His expression changed from annoyed and self-important to excited. "Nice to see _you _again, Jenny," he smiled, his voice lower.

"Scarecrow. I assume you heard what I was saying?"

"Oh yes, every word. I'm _more _than happy to oblige," his smile became sinister before he leapt forwards. Jenny reacted quickly, running dodging him and using her elbow to hit him hard in the back. He stumbled before turning and grinning. "You're improving.." He lunged again, this time scratching Jenny's arm before she kicked out at his leg. "..but not enough," he finished, grabbing her hair and slamming her head against the wardrobe door with a loud bang. She fell back on to the bed, her vision spinning and her head pounding as she rolled off onto the floor.

"I heard you had trouble fighting a thug this morning? Tut, tut. You really shouldn't try to play with the big boys before you've defeated the little ones." He kicked her in the ribs, squatting down next to her as she coughed in pain. "In Crane's defense, he did warn you that I'd kill you.. for some reason he thinks you have _potential_. I don't see it. You're still just that fucked up little girl, lost in her own head. He was so _angry," _he punched her in the jaw, _" _when the Joker kissed you.. still, he's too afraid to do it himself.. What did I say before? 'Two peas in a fucked up pod', was it? And you really are. Both so pathetic, both so useless, both so determined to prove everyone wrong..but look at you," he reached for one of her hands, holding it firmly in his, pressing on the cuts through the bandages, closing his eyes in pleasure as she whimpered. "What happened? You fought the guards at the madhouse just fine.. what changed?" He was thoughtful now. "Hmm, could it be.. that the thought of already killing your parents meant that you were already a murderous psychopath, so embracing it was easier? But when Penrose declared the _big reveal_, that you hadn't really killed them, you realised that you weren't as murderous as you thought? Almost, as though you're regressing into yourself again.. Interesting."

_Stop it now. _Crane's voice echoed in his head.

_**Johnny boy, I'm just starting to have fun.**_

_That's enough. You're going to kill her._

_**That's the POINT.**_

_No._

_**No, what?**_

_You're not killing her._

_**And why not?**_

_Because you're NOT._

_**Does Johnny boy really have a soft spot for her? Does the vulnerability turn you on as much as me, huh?**_

While they were mentally arguing Scarecrow didn't see Jenny grab a lamp from the bedside table, bringing it down on Scarecrow's head. He fell backwards and, before he could stand up, Jenny pushed herself up, kicking him hard in the groin, and making him groan in pain. His momentary shock meant that Crane also had the upper-hand in his mind, taking control and pushing Scarecrow far back into the recesses of his consciousness. Jenny brought her leg back again but Crane threw his arms up.

"Wait, it's me!" he managed to groan through the pain radiating throughout his body.

"Crane?"

"Yes!" Jenny looked closely at his eyes and, satisfied, offered him a hand to help him up. "Now do you believe me? He's _dangerous_," he said breathlessly, dusting off his clothes.

"I know," she said, her eyes blazing. "He's perfect."

A slow clap at the door made them both turn their heads sharply. The Joker was leaning against the door frame, clapping his gloved hands together. "Im-_press_-ive," he grinned. "Let's see how you do with _me_."

* * *

Wanted to put this up today because it's a short chapter but shows how each person, particularly Jenny and the Joker, are starting to develop. Thanks for reading and please continue to review! :)


	16. Chapter 16 Back To Work

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Sixteen**

When Jenny first entertained the possibility of breaking out of Arkham, one of the things that excited her most was the thought of not having to live according to a routine. The next few weeks of life in the apartment, however, was exactly that- routine. Unlike the one at Arkham, this routine was one that Jenny enjoyed. She would wake up, eat whatever she fancied at that particular time, and watch the news, happy that there was less focus on her and Crane. The Joker seemed to be mentioned more and more. He would leave at random times, returning hours, sometimes days, afterwards, smelling of smoke with a news report not far behind. He seemed to be gaining a reputation for recklessness. Jenny and Crane didn't know exactly what he did, both having to rely on whatever the news reported. The body count piled up.

After the news Jenny would spend as long as she could fighting Crane and the Joker- depending on which one was in the room when she asked. Since the Joker absconded most days, she fought with Crane more. At first she would end up on her back, with split lips and black eyes, even bruised ribs on occasion. Scarecrow didn't hold back. But after a while, she began to get the upper hand- taking him by surprise, using the objects around them as props and distractions. Crane had insisted she fight him at first, but over time Scarecrow was allowed a try. Crane was more hesitant than Scarecrow, but still delivered a ferocious kick when he was angry. Scarecrow seemed to have learned his lesson, fighting with such ferocity that Jenny was knocked unconscious more than once, but always stopping, before death was a strong possibility. Still, they tried to avoid moving the fight into the kitchen area. There were too many knives.

The Joker had a different way of fighting. He moved effortlessly. Jenny, after seeing him fight in the asylum, was familiar with his 'toy-with-them' technique and always assumed that it was simply because the Joker enjoyed it. She soon discovered, however, that it served a real purpose. The Joker swerved, jumping over her kicks and ducking under her punches, laughing the entire time. This angered Jenny, and so made her fight harder, still missing him. She was exhausted within five minutes. She soon learned how to use his technique herself, and also learned to move as little as possible, meaning that the Joker occasionally _had _to throw a punch or two, usually when she wasn't expecting it. After a few weeks of this she had improved dramatically, winning more fights, usually with Scarecrow. She only won against the Joker once, and still argued that he had let her win. Considering how skilled he was, though, she still considered her ability to stay standing for more than five minutes a great achievement. She knew he definitely wasn't trying his hardest, or he'd end up killing her.

The Batman was on television more and more, arresting criminals and single-handedly shutting down organised gangs and drug rings. The nights became quieter as criminals became more convinced that the Batman was waiting for them to make a move. News anchors spent most of the show, (when not reporting on the Joker), talking about how crime rates were dropping and then moving on to how the Batman was taking advantage of the Gotham PD and should be stopped. Jenny laughed at the hypocrisy. The Joker became more and more interested in him. He was fascinated with the way a man dressed as a bat could win the hearts of the entire city. Jenny wondered if, by robbing banks all over Gotham and scaring small-time criminals into working for him, he was _hoping _the Batman would show up. So far, he hadn't. Jenny and Crane spent most nights watching television, usually aching so much they couldn't bring themselves to move from the armchairs. Conversation was limited, but over time they found out a bit more about each other. Jenny, for example, discovered that Crane had a particular love of salt and vinegar chips, while Crane found that Jenny enjoyed quoting from whichever book popped into her head that day. He liked that, having been teased his entire childhood for being a particularly bookish person himself.

They were sat watching a particularly interesting film called '28 days later' when the Joker returned after two days of, according to the news, robbing a jewelry store. He jumped onto the couch, looking over at Jenny.

"No black eyes today, _hmmm_?" He asked, grinning.

"Nope. I think I'm getting better," she smiled.

"About time."

She laughed. Although she was originally against the Joker's heists, she couldn't help admitting that it was always interesting to see what he had been up to that day. She had actually started to look forward to the news, now that her name was not mentioned much anymore. He hardly ever talked about what he did, occasionally mentioning the names of some of the men he had blackmailed into working for him. However, considering there were names such as Ajax, Lefty, and Slim, she doubted they were their real names. He opened a can of coca-cola, watching the film with an expression similar to a child when their parent put Law & Order on. He was polite enough to wait until the film finished before changing the channel to watch the ten o'clock news. The anchor was talking about the jewelry heist.

_".. reports say the criminal known as 'The Joker' was responsible. This is just the latest in a string of robberies and criminal attacks across the city, all of which have been confirmed as being carried out by the Joker, made clear by a Joker card being left behind at each scene. In a statement by detective James Gordon earlier today, the Gotham PD stressed the importance of avoiding the Joker, and, if possible, bank buildings and jewelry stores until the Joker is apprehended. Gotham's new District Attorney Harvey Dent has been working closely with Gotham PD in their investigation into the Joker and the possibility of his cooperation with Jennifer Aiken and Jonathan Crane, who both escaped Arkham Asylum with the Joker last month.."_

"Harvey Dent.. another false icon for the public to raise on a pedestal. He won't last a month," The Joker scoffed.

"He seems pretty determined. He's shut down two drug trafficking rings in the past week," Crane pointed out.

"Well then there's an opening in the market."

"..What?"

"Surely it's about time you made some more of your, uh, special little drug? You could make a name for yourself.. besides being a psychopath."

"And where would I make said drug?"

"There's an ab-un-dance of abandoned warehouses. Take your _pick_. As for supplies.. I'm sure you didn't destroy all of them when you were so suddenly, uh, locked away?"

Crane stared at him, and then looked at Jenny. She raised her eyebrows in an expression she hoped conveyed what she was thinking: _'I have no idea what you should do. It's your decision, but it's dangerous..'_

"I'd need lab rats. People to help create the toxin.."

"Not a _prob_lem."

Crane sat in silence, the look on his face clearly expressing how he felt. It _was _dangerous, but when he was arrested he never thought he'd get to make his toxin again. Now the chance was suddenly there, in front of him. Scarecrow was thrilled, hoping to try out the fear toxin on as many unsuspecting victims as possible. He looked at the Joker, who seemed very proud of his idea, and he nodded.

"Okay."

* * *

Okay, so this turned out shorter than I wanted it to be :') Basically this is just setting up the next part of the story. Joker's getting back into his shenanigans, Crane is getting back into his toxin and Jenny is getting stronger and more skilled by the day. I haven't decided for sure, but the next chapter _may_ be focused on Bruce and his investigation. Thanks for reading! :D

**Nameless Fable: **Everyone loves a bit of Scarecrow ;) I'm definitely leaning towards Crane as the one she ends up with. She's been spending more time with him and they've got quite a bit in common :)

**samiantha:** Wow, thanks so much! :) She's finally getting there, building up her strength again, picking up skills along the way etc. The Joker definitely hasn't been trying his hardest. I think if he was fighting against anyone else he'd just aim to kill, but with Jenny he kinda feels like she's an apprentice, of sorts, so on some (very deep) level he wants to help her get stronger. I _love_ the idea of Batman trying to save her, it would really help with where I want this story to go :)


	17. Chapter 17 Pills And Alarms

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Seventeen**

"Master Wayne?"

"Over here, Alfred."

Alfred carried the newspapers over to Bruce, who was stood in front of the tall desk, watching a screen. They were in Bruce's 'hideout'- a huge room near the river, hidden under some shipping containers, with bright white lights covering every inch of the ceiling. Alfred placed the newspapers next to him.

"Any luck, sir?" Alfred asked, looking over Bruce's shoulder and seeing a list of Arkham patients.

"There are some inconsistencies.."

"Inconsistencies, sir?"

"There's at least ten patients..," Bruce explained slowly, clearly still deep in thought, "that were apparently transferred to other facilities, or released, all from around two to three years ago.. none of the addresses are real."

"Sir?"

"The addresses have been made up. Wherever they were 'transferred' to.. it wasn't a real place."

"May I suggest Mr Fox, Master Wayne? You need some rest. You've been up for days looking at this stuff. Send it to Lucius. He can deal with it for a few hours."

Bruce sighed, but he knew Alfred was right. The Joker, the other patients.. if they appeared right now he'd be in no fit state to fight them. He needed sleep. With a few clicks the files were e-mailed to Lucius Fox.

* * *

The next day Bruce smiled in welcome as Lucius Fox entered the main living room.

"I'm sorry to come on such short notice, Mister Wayne, but I've found some more problems with the files you sent me."

"Problems?"

"Patients. Disappearing. And the young woman, the one who escaped-"

"Jennifer Aiken?"

"Yes, her. Well, her file exists.. but it's complicated."

"In what way?"

"Her file only goes back to when she was 18 years old. Before that.. nothing."

"That makes sense. She was locked away in Arkham when she was 18. There shouldn't be anything that goes further back than that."

"No. Her files at _Arkham _seemed fine. But I wanted to know more about her, so I tried pulling others; medical, school.. there's none."

"You mean-"

"I mean Jennifer Aiken has only technically existed for the last two years."

* * *

Penrose sat in the corner of the room, his eyes darting around wildly, as though seeing things that weren't really there. One of the orderlies had put him in there, but hadn't told him anything. He was scared. If Aiken came back, with Crane and the clown, he'd be dead in no time. He heard the door open and recoiled as a large black figure entered the room. It swooped down, almost on top of him, and he heard a low, gravelly voice.

"Jacob Penrose."

"Y-yes?"

"I have questions. Ten patients who were moved from this facility, two to three years ago, were moved to places that didn't exist. What happened to them?"

"I-I- don't know." Penrose was almost hyperventilating now. Bruce sighed in his mask and grabbed the doctor, pinning him against the wall.

"The files were all signed off by _you_. You know what happened. Tell me!" The doctor yelped.

"They-they died."

"How?"

"I kill.. I killed them. I was testing medication.. and it killed them."

"So you pretended they'd been transferred? Made up some address? Everyone trusted you so no one looked into it.."

"Y-yes."

"I have another question. Jennifer Aiken. Where is she from?"

Bruce narrowed his eyes as the doctor explained what he'd done. Most of it was nonsense, mutterings and the ramblings of a mad man, but he got the gist. He'd killed her parents, wiped the family from the face of the earth and made up a new persona for her. He hadn't bothered with school files or medical files from when she was a child because they weren't needed. He slammed the doctor against the wall again.

"You made her up? Her name, her life?"

"Y-yes."

"So what's her real name?"

* * *

The door opened and Jennifer saw Crane enter from the corner of her eye. He sat in his usual armchair, watching the news as though he hadn't been gone for 15 hours.

"Hello, honey. How was your day?" Jenny asked, sarcastically.

Crane looked at her, clearly thrown by the sarcastic affection. "It was perfectly fine, thank you."

She rolled her eyes. Even after weeks of living in the same apartment, fighting each other every day, he still acted like they were acquaintances. She could see the change in him immediately. He had enjoyed the freedom, bu she knew he missed his work. Now his entire demeanour was different. He was happier. She could've sworn she saw the corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a smile.

"Doctor Crane, I'd be careful if I were you."

"Why?"

"You're in danger of actually smiling. You almost had me convinced that you were a robot."

He scoffed. "I've smiled before."

"Not often. Seriously, how was it?"

He glanced at her, not wanting to lower whatever defenses he had spent years building. But the excitement from his first day of work was too much. "It was amazing. Everything was the way it should be. The guys that the Joker hired picked everything up quickly, and because there were more of us we managed to _make _more."

Jenny smiled. "That's great."

"It is. We had a problem at first, the formula couldn't be utilised fully as a gas form. I don't have the proper equipment, but we managed to find a way to make them into pills."

"Pills?"

"Yes. Little green pills. They work the same, I tried it on one of the workers. He was writhing around on the floor, screaming about birds. He's scared of birds.."

"It'd be harder to force people to take them as pills," she pointed out.

"Not if they don't know what they're taking." He smirked.

"You're excited aren't you?" She asked, slightly amazed at how animated he had become simply because he could work again.

"Very. The research opportunities for something like this.. it's incredible." He gushed, his eyes looking extremely blue as they reflected the television. Jennifer knew he didn't like seeming vulnerable. He kept up so many defenses to keep people away, to look calm, cool, collected. This was the first time, excluding any appearances by Scarecrow, that she had seen him so excited, so child-like. He actually seemed like a real person. She grinned, standing. She'd felt tired for a few hours, but wanted to wait until Crane came back to ask him about his first day of work. She made her way to the kitchen area before turning back.  
"I'm really happy for you, you know." She smiled, before going to bed. Crane kept looking at the television, but relaxed as he heard the bedroom door shut. What did she mean by that? Happy for him? Was she being sarcastic?

_**Of course she's being sarcastic. Why would she be happy for you?**_

_Jesus christ, what are you still doing here? Can't you give me a few hours rest?_

_**After the day we've had? Don't bet on it.**_

_Great_.

_**Maybe she WASN'T being sarcastic. Maybe she really does have a soft spot for little Johnny boy-**_

_Shut up._

_**I've said it before, Johnny. You can't hide anything from me. I'm in your head. I've seen the way you look at her, the way you think about her. She used to just be another patient. Another research opportunity. What the hell happened to that? Now you see her as a fucking friend? You've gone soft.**_

_I have not. _

_**Yes. You have. You belong together. Two head cases. You could swap notes-**_

_Fuck off!_

_**Ohoho! Language, Johnny. **_

The door opened and the Joker entered, throwing a knife at a couch cushion. Crane barely noticed.

"Howdy, scarechum," he said, clearly in good spirits. "How was, uh, work, sweetie?"

Crane ignored the mocking term of endearment. "Fine, thank you."

"How are the mooks working for you?"

"They're good. Do what they're asked-"

"_Great_. Where's Aiken?"

"Went to bed. Five minutes ago."

"... and you, uh, didn't go _with _her? I'm _shocked_."

"Why would I go with her?" He asked, keeping his eyes fixed on the screen.

"Oh, Johnny, Johnny-"

"Don't call me that."

"-you have a _lot _to learn. Just because she rejected your, uh, advances, when you first met, doesn't mean she will now. She's _changed_. You can see it. I can see it. She can _feel _it. She's _different _now."

"Right." He didn't want to discuss this, especially with the clown.

* * *

Jenny pulled the covers around her. She was deep in thought. Joseph had his work. She didn't approve of it, but it was obvious he enjoyed it. Crane had his research now, his fear pills. She wouldn't be able to practise fighting with them anymore. She'd have to do something too. Her first thought was to help Crane, but she couldn't imagine being any use to him, especially when he had a whole gang of men that Joseph had given him. What else could she do? Her fighting was good now. In fact, it was very good. A lot better than it had been originally, before the asylum breakout; fighting with Joseph and Crane meant that she had mastered two very different fighting styles, as well as her own. So she didn't need to practise any more. Maybe she could gain another skill. Something useful, something that could help all of them if they needed it. Something criminals needed, in particular. She was on the run. She knew she'd be a criminal forever. There was no turning back now. Her brow furrowed in concentration. What did criminals need? Or encounter?.. Alarms, coded locks. She smiled again. She knew she could figure out how to stop them if she had practise. The places that Joseph had already been.. They wouldn't be expecting another break-in but she could go at night, just to be safe. Practise on the locks, the alarms. Gain another skill. At least for a few weeks, until she could figure out a more permanent job. She heard footsteps, recognising them as Joseph's, and quickly turned on her side, facing the wall, as the door opened, letting light in. She pretended to be asleep.

* * *

The next night she stood at the entrance of an alley, watching for any passing strangers. There hadn't been any in 30 minutes. The store had closed hours ago. This was her chance. She ran to the entrance, surprised at how quiet she sounded, and pulled out a hairpin. This was the easy part. She wiggled it in the lock, feeling the ridges and hearing a small click. She entered as the alarm started. Turning on her torch she examined the white box, lifting the front panel of buttons to reveal a mess of wires. Here's where she would need her intelligence. For a moment she was thrown, looking at the tangled mess and wondering if she should turn back. But, on a second viewing, the wires looked more organised, easier to follow. She looked at the back, at where the wires entered the panel, and closed her eyes, thinking frantically. Using a small knife she had taken from her kitchen she cut the left blue wire, and the middle green. The alarm stopped. The store fell silent, and she could hear the hammering of her heart. Breathing a sigh of relief she looked for cameras, noticing one pointing above her head. For once she was glad she was short. She grabbed the wire underneath that ran from the camera to the wall and tugged it, hearing a small crackle as the camera shut down. Keeping an eye out for other cameras she entered the main area of the store, grinning.

* * *

Bruce scrolled down the page, reading Jennifer Aiken's file. Everything that Penrose had said, it all made sense. His one regret was that Penrose had fainted before he could find out her old name, her original name. He wondered if she knew it. She wasn't a killer. Or hadn't been when she was arrested. She admitted to a crime she didn't commit, because she was crazy. Because she didn't know the truth and convinced herself that she did. So she was innocent? It seemed logical. Everything that she had done, she had only done it to survive. She had discovered the truth and had attacked Penrose. He could understand that. Maybe, if he could find her, he could help her. Get her on the right track. It was worth a shot. He closed the file, looking once again at the map of Gotham, wondering where she could possibly be.

* * *

I have no idea how alarm systems work, I'm guessing it has something to do with the wires ;) The idea of Bruce/Fox finding out about Jennifer's past was the wonderful idea of Samiantha so big props to her. Thanks!

**Nameless Fable: **I'm hoping at some point he will, yeah :)

**up in the woods:** Haha me neither! I think Jenny would do great with either of them. And thanks so much :)

**AmeliaDogwood:** Thanks for reviewing :) I can never write action properly so I'm glad you're enjoying the fight scenes! I'll try to update as often as I can. Thanks for sticking with it :3

**Samiantha:** I hope you like the Bruce POV ;) Yep, Crane's getting back to the fear. It's about time really, haha. I'm sure he has a few levels buried very, very deep down :P


	18. Chapter 18 Imminent

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Eighteen**

"And where have _you _been?"

The Joker swung around from behind the door, stopping Jenny in her tracks. She glanced at him.

"Out."

"We gathered. _Where_?" His eyes moved over her clothing, black trousers, black shirt, black sneakers.

"Does it matter?"

Before the Joker could reply they heard the jingle of the news and Jenny pushed past him, sitting down in her armchair. She liked watching the news, it always helped to know where the cops were in their search for them. The news anchor appeared, professional, as the stocks began scrolling along the bottom of the screen.

"Good morning and welcome to the 8am news. Main story today: Jacob Penrose, former head of Arkham Asylum, was found dead in his cell less than an hour ago. We'll have more on that story as it comes in. Also today: Gotham police department are urging people to come forward after PFC jewelers was, once again, robbed. The owner of the store, Mark Dunne, arrived for work this morning to discover over $35,000 worth of jewelry stolen from the store. This comes just one week after the store was robbed, at gunpoint, by the prominent criminal known as The Joker. This footage shows a figure entering late last night and disarming the intruder detection system, which replaced the older alarm system used by PFC before The Joker's attack. As no card was left at the scene, police officers are not treating the two robberies as connected. Now the weather-"

Crane and the Joker turned their heads in shock, and looked at Jenny, who was smiling slightly from her chair.

"Was that _you_?" Crane asked, incredulously.

"Yeah," Jenny said, suddenly realising what she had pulled off.

"You robbed a jewelry store with a brand new alarm system?"

"Yeah." She took the bag from behind her and emptied it onto the coffee table. Necklaces and earrings glittered in the light, and the Joker grinned.

"Well, Aiken, you're, ah, officially a _criminal_. Welcome to the world."

She kept her eyes fixed on the television, but Crane saw her smile.

* * *

They were celebrating. It was one of the rare days when all three of them were in the apartment together. Jenny had spent every night for the past week breaking into stores, and was quickly becoming a pro. To celebrate she'd been drinking lightly all day. By the time the sunset became visible through the curtains she was very tipsy. More news updates revealed that Penrose had hung himself in his cell. No one knew why, but Jenny didn't care. She was just glad he was gone. More reason to celebrate. Crane began drinking a few hours after Jenny, as did the Joker, but it seemed to have no effect on him. They were talking more than they had since their planning sessions to break out of the asylum. In the apartment they usually only said hello, or asked for someone to throw a bag of chips over. There were very few full conversations. Now they were talking freely. The Joker talked about the Batman- how he was convinced that he was a regular man who needed therapy more than them, and probably had a tipping point that the Joker could easily find, given the time. Jenny told them about her plans to rob more stores, and Crane told them about his plan to sell his fear pills to unsuspecting people.

"Won't that draw attention to you?" Jenny asked, confused. She was sat on the couch next to the Joker.

"Who'd want to admit to the police that they've tried to buy drugs, and someone screwed them over?"

"True.. who would you sell them to?"

"I was thinking maybe Mansur."

"The Chechen?" Jenny asked, surprised. The Chechen was one of the most infamous mob villains in Gotham. He hung around in Maroni's inner circle. Someone even Crane didn't want to get on the wrong side of. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

"Of course he _does_. Scarechum is always careful," the Joker giggled, and Jenny couldn't tell if he was making fun of him or not. Crane didn't seem to notice though, nodding vigorously in agreement. "Well," the Joker continued, "I have a job to get to. You kids have, uh, _fun_."

He grabbed his overcoat and exited swiftly. Crane went to the kitchen and grabbed another beer can before returning and, after silent deliberation, sat next to Jenny on the couch.

They began watching a film in silence. Neither of them really knew what it was, or what it was about. Jenny felt her eyes growing heavy and, before she knew it, she had drifted off to sleep.

* * *

She woke, blurry eyed and confused as the credits of the film rolled down the screen to piano music. Moving her head slightly she saw that she had moved in her sleep, and had curled up to Crane. One of his arms was around her, and his other hand was moving slowly through her hair. For a moment she was too shocked to move. She wondered if he was asleep but as she moved her head more she saw him look down at her face. He quickly cleared his throat and moved his arms back.

"You must be tired," he said. "You've been out every night for the past week."

"Nah, I'm okay," Jenny said, sitting up, yawning and grabbing a drink from the coffee table. They relapsed into silence for a few minutes, watching the credits roll. "What happens if the Chechen works out what you're doing?" Jenny asked suddenly.

"Then he finds out. I'll fix it." Crane answered. He didn't seem sure, but he also didn't seem to care. After becoming a patient at an asylum that he had worked at for years, and then escaping from said asylum, there wasn't much to worry about anymore. Whatever happened, happened. He watched as Jenny stood up and moved to the kitchen area, making herself a coffee.

"My research is more justified than most research done legally," he elaborated, watching her work. "Fear is everywhere, not just in little pills. I'm just.. speeding things along a bit."

"I'll show you fear in a handful of dust," Jenny muttered. Crane, who was on his way to the kitchen stopped for a second in surprise, and leaned against the counter.

"It's, uh, it's from The Waste Land, by T.S Eliot," she explained, looking embarassed.

"I know. It's one of my favourites," he said, still looking surprised. For a second he seemed to focus on nothing in particular, and Jenny recognised it as the expression one has when talking to the other half. He moved swiftly around the counter, placed a hand either side of her face and kissed her.

She wasn't expecting it. It was a small kiss, his lips barely brushing against hers, and she looked at him, wide-eyed for a moment before her feelings took over. She pulled him closer, kissing him back. She felt his lips, so soft, against hers. Their kissing became more passionate, more forceful as their lust took over. Their lips and tongues fought for control. She backed up, feeling the wall behind her. He pulled back slightly, smirking, as his blue eyes blazed. She felt her breath catch in her throat- he'd never looked so gorgeous, so seductive. Her mind blurred, and she barely noticed as she unbuttoned his shirt, throwing it to the floor, along with his jeans and her own clothes soon after. He gazed down at her, taking in every inch of her body, before pressing his lips against hers again. He bit down, almost harshly, on her bottom lip and she groaned, moving back slightly and seeing Scarecrow flash across Crane's face. For a moment he looked worried, but as she pulled him closer he grinned.

"Masochist," he murmured against her skin. He moved to her neck, nipping and making her moan in plain and pleasure. His hands trailed across her skin, following the curves of her body until they reached the hem of her underwear, which he pulled down, painfully slowly. After spending so much time with him as a friend she should've felt uncomfortable but, instead, she realised that she wanted him, more than she'd ever wanted anyone. His eyes, his self-satisfied smirk as he threw her bra to the ground, his hair. He moved in again, pressing his pelvis against hers, grinding their hips together. Their lips crushed together. Her fingers reached up, moving through the strands of hair, and she pulled gently, smiling as she felt him groan into her mouth. Their bodies pressed together, bringing them closer than they'd ever been before. He ran a hand down her thigh, bringing her leg up to curl around his waist and he groaned as they pressed against each other. He guided himself inside her, gasping at the feeling.

_**Fuck.. just like we imagined, huh, Johnny?**_

She closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the wall as he ignored Scarecrow and moved his hips. Slow at first, but his movements became faster, more urgent, more passionate, with every thrust. She moved to match his rhythm as his breathing changed, becoming more rapid. She could feel how much he had wanted this, and she realised she had wanted the exact same thing. Her hands tugged at his hair again and he groaned, kissing her deeply as he moved even harder. She smiled against his lips and he nipped at her bottom lip as his body tensed. They were both close now.

"Jonathan," she murmured, biting her lip in pleasure.

"Fuck," he moaned quietly, burying his face in the crook of her neck. One hand moved up to her hair, his fingers twisting it as he tensed further. He looked at her, feeling Scarecrow growl in arousal in his head. They both wanted this, and had done for a long time. He watched her eyes, her lips, felt her body and came undone. His lips opened slightly in pleasure as he climaxed, and moaned, feeling her tighten and do the same. They slowed, his hands still grasping at her hair. He could feel her breathing against his chest and they stayed in that position for a moment, his face still pressed against her neck. He kissed her neck softly, before moving up to her lips and kissing her slow and deep, their lips staying together for a moment longer than they needed to. He sighed, before pulling back, rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

"Do you realise what you do to me, Miss Aiken?" Crane asked quietly, his lips now so close she could feel his breath on her face.

"After that? I have some idea, Doctor Crane," she grinned. He pinned her again and kissed her.

* * *

He woke, feeling a weight on his arm, and looked to see Jenny resting against him, her hair messy. He smiled. After months of wanting to be with her he'd finally managed it. He'd finally ignored Scarecrow and followed what _he _wanted to do. He knew when he first kissed her, and he still knew now, that they would never be able to have a real relationship. They were both too unpredictable, too wrapped up in their own lives, their own problems. But this intimacy, it was nice while it lasted. He felt her stir.

"Morning," she said, smiling as she sat up.

"Good morning," he replied, a ghost of a smile visible on his lips.

Half an hour later and they were both clothed, and sat on the couch, watching the news. They had silently agreed that there was no way a relationship would work, but that didn't mean they couldn't have _some _intimacy. And that intimacy equated to sitting on the same couch, instead of having their own armchairs. As the news finished he smiled at her, grabbing his jacket, and said goodbye as he left for work.

* * *

"Alfred?"

"Yes, Master Wayne?"

"I need a list of every jewelry store the Joker held up since his escape, and a separate list of every jewlery store robbed in the past week. I need to cross-reference them."

Alfred brought him the list in less than ten minutes. Bruce was always amazed at how good he was with technology at his age, but he never pointed it out to him. A cross-reference confirmed what he already knew.

"Found anything?" Alfred asked.

"The stores that are being robbed were _all _robbed by the Joker. I think someone's going back for seconds."

"Why would they do that?"

"Because no one would think they're unlucky enough to be robbed twice.. especially if the first robbery was by the Joker."

"So there's another criminal out there, making their money by picking off whatever the Joker missed? That's clever, sir."

"Yeah, it is," Bruce muttered, looking at the list. "And I think I know where they'll be going next."

* * *

Jenny prised the window open, making no noise at all. After a week of practising she'd come to realise that sneaking through the windows was usually the best way to avoid the cameras. Dropping to the floor she made her way from the back rooms into the main store area, looking at the glass cases in interest. A voice to her right made her heart jump into her chest.

"Looking for anything special?"

She turned, seeing a black figure in a corner.

"Batman?" she asked, cautiously.

"Yes. And you are Jennifer Aiken, aren't you?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked, backing away slowly.

"Relax, I'm not going to arrest you."

"You _can't _arrest me. You're not a cop. In fact, most of the cops hate you as much as they hate me," she pointed out.

"I could've turned you in," he retorted. She wondered if it hurt his throat to talk like that.

"So why aren't you?"

"Because I know the truth. Penrose, before he died, told me about what he did. Everything. I know you're innocent."

She scoffed, "'Innocent' isn't exactly the right word. I killed people to escape from Arkham."

"You were there because of the lies of a madman. I can help you."

She narrowed her eyes. "And how are you going to do that?"

"Come with me. Now. You can start again. Leave Gotham. Have a new life." She was silent, and Bruce felt a burst of victory. She was going to say yes.

"No, thanks." He was glad the room was so dark, he was sure even the mask would not hide his surprised expression.

"Why?"

"Because I'm a criminal now. That's who I am. That's what Penrose turned me into. There's no turning back from that."

"There is. You can still leave-"

"And go where? Wherever I go, someone will find me. I can't get away from that."

"You can leave America. Go somewhere completely new."

"What, like Asia?" She asked, a smile on her lips.

"Why not? Asia is very nice. I've been there.. Let me help you."

"No."

"Is this because of the Joker?"

"Why would it be because of the Joker?"

"You're still with him, aren't you? Him and the professor?"

"No, I'm not."

"Then where are you staying?"

She laughed at this. "I'm not stupid, Bat. I'm not telling you where I _live_."

"Why do you do this? Rob stores? To what end?"

"Practise," she answered, remembering the Joker saying pretty much the same thing when she asked him why he was robbing banks. "You never know when these skills will come in handy."

"Jennifer, please. You don't have to do this."

"Bat, I appreciate what you do. Prancing around in a costume, scaring criminals. You shut down pretty much every drug trafficking ring because you look intimidating. I admire that. But I'm not coming with you, and I'm not stopping this."

Bruce sighed. "And I can't change your mind?"

"No. You can't."

"... okay." He reached for his grapple gun and shot it towards the ceiling, wrapping around a pipe and pulling himself up to the first floor balcony. "I'm not going to turn you in, now. But if I find you again.. I will. I know you're innocent. Don't change that."

"Goodbye, Bat," she said firmly. With one last pause he disappeared from view. She let out a long breath, staying still for a while after he was gone, just to be sure, before getting on with the task at hand.

* * *

Guys, more than 2,000 views! Thank you so much! You guys are the reason I kept going with this story. It started out as a complete whim, but now I have an outline of where I'm going with it, and that's because of you. Keep reading, and reviewing, and I hope you enjoy :D

**auriellis: **Thanks :) Haha, whilst keeping them to herself sounds like a great idea I don't think Jenny would feel comfortable doing that :P You never know though, anything could happen.. ;)

**bethdelusional: **Yep, Batman isn't going to give up that easily. He knows that Jenny needs help. And thanks so much for reading!

**samiantha: **She's getting a lot better at being a criminal now, knowing how to break into the stores, how to avoid tripping the alarms etc. She's getting better than the majority of other criminals out there :P Bruce is such a nice guy, I think Jenny is a bit of a challenge for him. He's not gonna give up on her, but might lay low for a bit. He'll definitely have to put her on the back burner when things start speeding up around Gotham ;) Thanks for reading and reviewing :D


	19. Chapter 19 Business

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Nineteen**

"I have news," the Joker declared, bursting through the door. Jenny glanced up from the kitchen where she was pouring a glass of lemonade. He had been acting more animated lately, almost as though he was planning something. Jenny thought it may have had something to do with her and Crane's recent encounter, but if the Joker had known, surely he would've teased them for it?

"What news?" she asked, suspiciously. Thoughts ran through her head. Had the police found them? Had something happened to Jonathan? Had the Batman visited the Joker too?

"I have a _job _for you," he said, in a sing song voice, leaning an elbow against the counter and watching her with his dark eyes.

She blinked. "A job?"

"Yep. One of the goons," (she hated him calling them that), "has an uncle, who knows a certain big wig in Gotham. He's in a, ah, _rut _concerning _finances_."

"And that concerns me?"

The Joker laughed. "Your _skills _haven't gone unnoticed. Everyone in the criminal world knows about what you can do. He requires your, ah, services." She snorted. "You've heard of Old Hart Jewelers?"

"One of the biggest jewelers in Gotham? No, never heard of them," she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

"He wants you to rob it."

"He wants me to rob it?"

"Funnnny, I thought I just said that.. Yes, he does."

"I can't do that."

"Of course you can. It's the same as the small stores, just.. bigger."

"Then why haven't you robbed it?"

"I told you. I'm _practising_."

"Joseph, I can't."

"Aiken, Aiken, Aiken, Aiken," the Joker mumbled, "You've broken out of one of the largest, most secure facilities in America. You're wanted for multiple _murders_, and have managed to stay under the radar. And you've spent the last two weeks robbing stores, _on your own_, to build up your skills, and for no other apparent reason. Have some more _fun_."

She bit her lip nervously. It _would _be fun. She could test her new-found skills against the security in one of Gotham's biggest stores. Suddenly the idea seemed more appealing.

"What do I need to do?" She asked. The Joker's grin widened.

"Break in. Tonight. Steal a few, ah, hundred thousand dollars worth. He's in a _lot _of debt."

"And then?"

"Go to the old warehouse, near the dock. The, uh, _goon'_ll be waiting there for the bag. Give it to him, come back. Done."

"That's it?"

He laughed. "A minute ago you sounded like it _can't _be done."

"It can't. But I want to try."

"Ahaha, that's the way to do things."

* * *

It was 12:30am. The store had been closed for hours, and on a normal night she would've already made her move, but tonight she wanted to be extra sure. She was squatting down in a gap between two shops, staying well hidden in the shadows. She hadn't had time to scout the place out before, so she did it then. Wide windows on the first floor, smaller on the ground floor, but still large enough for displays. There was a small bar around the building, between the ground and first floors, possibly for decoration, but they'd serve another purpose now. There was a back entrance, but she was almost positive there'd be some sort of motion detector there. There usually was at large establishments like that. Taking a deep breath she ran, leaping up and gripping the bar. Her feet swung to the side and, bracing herself, she pulled herself up so she was balancing on the bar, with her hands against the wall. Examining the windows she took out a small knife and ran it along the seal, hearing a small click. Pulling the window up she climbed inside, still amazed at her uncanny ability to be silent. She found herself in a huge room, similar to the one the Batman had found her in a week ago. She was on a balcony, which ran around the edge of the entire room. The room beneath her was filled with glass cases, display cabinets, all full of necklaces and jewels. Earrings and wedding rings.

She smiled. She spotted a door opposite her, and followed the balcony round to it. The word 'Staff only' was on the door. She quickly rewired the electric lock, opened the door and found the security room. The hardest part (but still surprisingly simple for her) was switching the camera feeds and hacking into the main security to cut off the intruder detection and shoplifting alarms for the next half hour. After that it was smooth sailing. She was amazed at how easy it was. Her practising had apparently paid off. She filled her bag with the largest jewels she could find, before making sure she had left no trace, and leaving the same way she had entered.

The warehouse was abandoned, just a few empty crates and sheets inside from old companies. The goon sat on one of them, waiting for her. She threw him the bag and watched as he looked inside.

"Any problems?" he asked. His voice was low.

"None," she said. He nodded, throwing her a bag of money. She waited until he was gone before checking it. A lot, but not nearly close to the value of the jewlery she had stolen. Of course, if you were in debt and needed to steal jewels to pay it off you clearly wouldn't be able to afford a large hiring fee. She didn't care about the money, she already knew it wouldn't be a lot. She headed back to the apartment.

The Joker was thrilled. She had proven her skills. She wondered if there was a part of him that, like her, thought she might not be able to pull it off. She sipped her lemonade, grinning at what she had accomplished.

"By the way," the Joker said, "I have another job for you."

* * *

A week later and Jenny had stolen over a million dollars worth of jewelry. People heard about her from all over Gotham, and wanted her 'services'. She was extremely careful about who she worked for, and always managed to pull it off. She never ran into many problems, and continually surprised herself with how agile and intelligent she was becoming with the nightly jobs. Crane seemed happy that she was enjoying herself so much.

The Joker spent more time in the apartment, apparently working towards something big, but neither Jenny nor Crane knew exactly what it was. Crane had orchestrated several meetings with people close to Mansur, and was close to selling him his product.

They sat one night, watching the news and hearing, with delight, about how the police were 'considering all possibilities' in their search for the three criminals, which meant they knew nothing. The anchor was talking to a detective from Gotham Police Department about the unfortunate spate of robberies lately.

"_So you have no leads?"_

_"Er, not at this time. No. But we are considering a number of likely possibilities."_

_"Such as?"_

_"Well, there were no fingerprints, no footprints, no physical evidence left at any of the crime scenes."_

_"Which means what exactly?"_

_"It means that whoever did it was a professional. They knew what they were doing, and they were very smart about it. Because of that we do not believe that it was the work of the Joker, Jonathan Crane or Jennifer Aiken, as people have been speculating lately."_

_"You've completely ruled them out?"_

_"Well, not completely, no. But none of them are professional thieves, and we don't believe any of them would be able to sneak into places in such a manner."_

_"Speaking of those three, are you any closer to actually finding them?"_

_"Er, we are currently entertaining a number of options concerning the Joker's location. He is the only one who had made himself known since the breakout. We have reason to believe that Jonathan Crane and Jennifer Aiken have both left Gotham-"_

_"Together?"_

_"Er, no. Not together. We believe that the three of them were only together to stand a better chance of escaping. Neither of them have been seen since the breakout and neither of them have made any prominent moves in the criminal circles, which is why we believe that they are no longer in Gotham. The Joker himself has not been seen since his last robbery nearly a week ago. This stretch of silence is quite unusual for him, so he may have also moved on."_

_We believe the robberies may be the work of an outside criminal. Someone who has come to Gotham to take advantage of the Joker's focus on banks and jewelry stores."_

Jenny found the whole thing laughable. She turned her head from the televison and looked at the Joker, who was sat next to her on the couch.

"So, why are you in so much lately?"

"Enjoying quality time with my two, ah, _favourite _people," he grinned.

"Bullshit," she laughed. "What's going on?"

"I've been keeping an eye on the Bat."

"Why?"

"Because I'm _curious_."

"Why?"

"You ask a lot of _questions_," he said, but he didn't seem irritated. "I've been thinking that things would be a lot, ah, _easier _for criminals around here if the Bat wasn't around."

"And you have a plan to make that happen?"

"I don't _plan_. But I have an idea, yeah," he nodded, pulling out a dirty clown mask and showing it to them.

Jenny locked eyes with Crane and he shrugged, sharing her confusion. They said no more about it.

* * *

Crane looked around at the empty parking complex. After only spending time in the apartment and the warehouse where they made the pills he was glad to actually spend time elsewhere, even if it was somewhere like this. He leaned against the truck, relishing the feel of the mask against his skin. It wasn't his old mask, but that was still locked away in Arkham somewhere. He had made this one quickly, using an old burlap sack. It looked similar, felt similar, and offered the same effects, so he liked it. This was the first meeting with Mansur himself, and probably the last, but that wasn't important right now. All he needed was someone to buy the product. Mansur would buy in bulk, so even if they did only meet once, enough people would buy the pills from Mansur to keep Crane's research active for a while. They heard a screech of tires and Crane straightened, allowing Scarecrow to take control. The men were stood, as still as statues, with their guns pointed towards the approaching vehicle. Mansur's lackeys exited first, all carrying guns, all looking ridiculously intimidating to everyone but Scarecrow. Then Mansur himself came into view. He was pretty much what Crane and Scarecrow had expected. Typically Chechen appearance, with a leather jacket, and long hair that was tied back into a small ponytail, and a short black beard. He sauntered forwards, and Scarecrow heard the growl of dogs in the back of the van.

"Why the mask?" Mansur asked, looking genuinely curious.

"I like wearing it."

"Hm. I hear you have a product?" He asked. His voice had a very prominent accent.

"Yes, I do."

"Well, let me see it." Scarecrow nodded to a man to his left, who brought a small bag from his pocket and gave it to Mansur. He examined the pill inside closely.

"How strong?"

"Very.. It'll take you places."

"Cole!" One of Mansur's men came forwards, taking the pill from him and swallowing it without a second thought. They waited, watching the effects as Cole become more and more dazed and happy. Mansur seemed satisfied. Most of the discussion had already taken place with the help of a middle man, talking to Crane on Mansur's behalf and finding out about the product. Mansur gave a small speech about how Crane shouldn't fuck him over, and what would happen if he did. They discussed prices, and he left with even more than Scarecrow thought he would. He grinned behind his mask as the van disappeared from view. Crane had placed a normal hallucinogenic in the bag that Mansur had examined. He knew he would want someone to test it before buying any. What he had examined was a normal drug, what he had _bought _were bags of fear pills that they made been maufacturing for weeks. He climbed into the van, feeling triumphant.

* * *

**Nameless Fable: **Thank you! :) I was trying to make it as tasteful as possible, I'm glad it seemed well-written :3

**samiantha: **He's a bit naive when it comes to certain things really, isn't he? I feel sorry for him too :/ I'm glad you enjoyed it! I don't think the Joker will mind too much, he had a bit too much going on at the minute. But I think somewhere down the line he will feel jealous, even if it's only very slight. We'll have to see about that :P

**AmeliaDogwood: **Haha I'm glad you're enjoying it :D Wow, dreaming that you're Jenny can't be too bad ;) And there'll be more meetings with the Bat along the way :3

Please continue reading and reviewing, you guys are amazing!


	20. Chapter 20 Heist

**Where Is My Mind?  
Chapter Twenty**

Jenny yawned as she jumped out of the way, watching as the Joker grabbed a small knife from the drawer. He was bounding around the apartment, grabbing various weapons as he went.

"Where are you off to?" she asked. It was too early for such energy, at least for her. But then, she had been out all night stealing expensive jewelry.

"Have a job. A _big _job."

"Oh yeah?" Jenny asked, her interested piqued.

"Yep. Watch the news," he said quickly, as he left with his clown mask.

She flicked the television on and saw Crane enter from the corner of her eye. His hair was still wet from the shower and hung, dripping, around his eyes.

"Where is he going?" he asked, sitting next to her.

"He has a big job, apparently."

"To do with the Bat?"

".. I don't know," she murmured, remembering what he said about his idea involving the eradication of Batman. She hadn't told either of them about her talk with the Bat, and wasn't planning to. "He told me to watch the news. Must be big enough to have a report about it as soon as it happens.."

"Hmm," Crane said, absent mindedly. He was clearly thinking of something else. She turned her head to ask him what was wrong and was met by his lips. She pulled back in shock, and he blinked, looking at her. What was he doing? Had they not both realised that they were better as friends? At least for now anyway.. but as she looked at him she realised that, at that moment, she didn't care. She leaned in, kissing him back. He responded enthusiastically, bringing a hand through her hair. He deepened the kiss and Jenny's hand began to move towards his groin. He groaned, moving on top of her as she smiled.

* * *

He stood on the corner, holding the bag strap with one hand and the mask in his other. The SUV pulled up and he climbed in the back, pulling the mask down over his face. He began loading his weapons, hearing the goon in the front passenger seat doing the same.

"Three of a kind. Let's do this," the driver, Grumpy, said.

The front passenger, Chuckles, looked up from his gun. "That's it? Three guys?"

"Two guys on the roof. Every guy gets a share. Five shares is plenty."

"Six shares. Don't forget the guy who planned the job," the passenger pointed out.

"Yeah? He thinks he can sit it out and still take a slice then I know why they call him the Joker." He cocked his gun.

The Joker grinned. By that point he knew the roof goons would be getting to work.

* * *

"So why do they call him the Joker?" Happy asked, as Dopey prised open the access panel on the roof.

"I heard he wears make-up."

"Make-up?" Dopey pulled out a bundle of CAT-5 cables.

"Yeah, to scare people, you know? War paint."

* * *

The SUV pulled up outside Gotham First National Bank and the three clowns jumped out, holding assault rifles, and headed inside. Grumpy fired into the ceiling and the security guard looked up in time to see the fist of one of the clown's fists collide with his face. He collapsed, unconscious, as the clowns rounded up hostages. One of the tellers pushed a button under her counter- a silent alarm.

* * *

"Here comes the silent alarm," Dopey, on the roof said, looking at his handheld device, "And there it goes.. That's funny. It didn't dial out to 911. It was trying to reach a private number."

Happy raised his gun. "Is it a problem?"

"Nah, I'm done here." Happy pulled the trigger of the silenced gun and Dopey fell to the ground- dead. Happy grabbed his bag and climbed through the roof access door, sprinting down a flight of stairs and coming face to face with a huge vault.

* * *

The hostages were lined up and the Joker walked along the line, shoving a grenade from the his bag into each set of hands. Grumpy followed, pulling the pins.

"Obviously we don't want you doing anything with your hands, other than holding on for dear life."

A loud gunshot rang out, and Chuckles was blown off his feet. The Joker and Grumpy ran for cover, hearing someone cock a gun again.

"You have any idea who you're stealing from? You and your friends are dead!"

* * *

Happy clamped a drill to the vault, the metal bit spun, slid inside the door and a bolt of electricity ripped through the drill, throwing Happy to the floor with a grunt.

* * *

The Joker listened as the bank manager shot his gun again, moving towards their spot.

"He's out, right?" Grumpy asked. The Joker paused, before nodding vigorously. Grumpy jumped up, aimed his gun and fell back as buckshot hit his shoulder. The Joker jumped up, shooting and hitting the bank manager. Grumpy stood up, clutching his shoulder. "Where did you learn to count?!" he growled, heading for the door to the vault. The Joker began loading fresh shells into his shotgun.

* * *

Happy turned the tumblers of the vault with his hands, which were stuffed into his sneakers to avoid a second electric shock. Grumpy walked in.

"They wired this thing up with 5,000 volts. What kinda of bank does that?" Happy asked.

"A mob bank. Guess the Joker's as crazy as they say.." Happy grabbed the wheel bolt and spun, opening the door.

Grumpy looked around. "Where's the alarm guy?"

"Boss told me when the guy was done I should take him out. One less share, right?"

"Funny, he told me something similar.." Happy lunged for his gun but was too late. Grumpy pulled his trigger, and stepped over Happy's body into the vault.

* * *

"That's a lot of money," Grumpy remarked as he and the Joker dropped the last two duffel bags in the main bank area. "If this Joker guy was so smart he'd have had us bring a bigger car." He put up his gun, aiming it at the Joker. "I'm betting the Joker told you to kill me soon as we loaded the cash, right?" The Joker sighed, checked his watch and took a step to the right. _There's always one.._

"No, no, no, no. I kill the _bus _driver."

"Bus driver? What bus driv-?" The tail end of a yellow school bus crashed through the wall of the bank, throwing rubble and debris everywhere. Grumpy was hit, and crumpled to the floor. The driver jumped out of the back.

"School's out. Time to go. That guy's not getting up, is he?" They loaded the bags. "What happened to the rest of the guys?" The Joker pulled his trigger, not even bothering to aim properly, but he heard the man fall. The injured bank manager watched him from the floor.

"Think you're smart, huh?" he said, through ragged breaths. "The guy who hires you's.. he'll just do the same to you. Criminals in this town used to believe in things: Honor. Respect. Look at you. What do you believe in, huh? What do you believe-!" He choked as the Joker shoved a cylindrical grenade in his mouth.

"I believe.. that whatever doesn't kill you, simply makes you," he pulled his mask off, and the bank manager's eyes widened as he took in his grease paint and deep scars. ".._stranger_." he grinned before rising and strolling to the bus. The purple string unravelled from the lining of his jacket as he walked. He closed the door on the string, and jumped over the seats to the front. As he pulled away he heard sirens in the distance, and the pin was pulled out of the grenade in the bank manager's mouth. He gave a muffled whimper as, instead of exploding, the grenade spewed red smoke. The school bus pulled free of the wall, debris falling off the roof onto the road, and slid into the line of identical buses, heading further into the city.

* * *

Jenny sat, watching Mike Engel quiz the mayor on the Batman. Engel was a relatively new reporter, playing off the public's growing hatred of Batman to work his way to the top. She had been watching it with Crane, but he had received a call from one of his men. Mansur wanted to meet. He had smirked as he kissed her one last time, grabbed his mask, and left the apartment.

_"Mr Mayor, you were elected on a campaign to clean up the city.. when are you going to start?"_

_"Well, Mike, in my opinion we already have-"_

_"Like this so-called Batman- a lot of people say he's doing some good, that criminals are running scared.. but what kind of hero needs to wear a mask? You don't let vigilantes run around breaking the law.. where does it end? Yet, we hear rumours that instead of trying to arrest him the cops are actually using him to do their dirty work-"_

_"I'm told our men in the Major Crimes Unit are close to an arrest."_

Jim Gordon looked up at the sky as Detective Ramirez, a rookie detective, walked out from the roof door and handed him a cup of coffee.

"Ever intending to see your wife again, Lieutenant?"

"I thought you had to go look after your mother, Detective."

She paused, "They checked her back into the hospital."

".. I'm sorry." She looked up at the bat-signal which reflected eerily against the clouds in the night sky.

"He hasn't shown?"

"He often doesn't. But I like reminding everybody that he's out there."

"Why wouldn't he come?" she asked, secretly wondering why on earth Gordon put so much faith in a psycho with a mask. If she had her way the Batman would be arrested, no questions asked.

"Hopefully.. because he's busy."

* * *

The SUV pulled up in front of Crane's white van, which was parked in a corner, the back doors open. Enormous rotweilers growled, and barked at the bat-signal in the sky.

Mansur nodded to the light. "That's why we bring _dogs_." He kissed one of the dogs. "My little princes.." as one of his men pulled a junkie from the SUV. He dropped to the floor, wide-eyed and writhing in terror.

"No! Get 'em off me! Get 'em off!"

"Look what your drugs did to my customers!" The Chechen shouted to the darkness of the van.

"Buyer beware," Scarecrow said, jumping down from the back of the van. "I told you my compound would take you places. I never said they'd be places you wanted to go."

"My business: repeat customers!"

"If you don't like what I have to offer, you can buy from someone else.. assuming Batman left anyone else to buy from."

A yell from the Chechen's right drew his attention, and he saw a shadow from the corner of his eye. The dogs barked furiously.

"Pity there's only _one _of you," he shouted to the darkness. Another man was sucked into the dark. A second shadow appeared. The Chechen frowned, as three more shadows popped up. A shot rang out and the area erupted with gunfire. The Chechen ran for his SUV and ducked as he heard another of his men scream.

"Loose the dogs!" he yelled.

Scarecrow ducked down as a hole was shot into the side of his van. "That's not him," he muttered. A man grabbed him and he used the last of his spray toxin, aiming for his face. The man collapsed, screaming. Scarecrow climbed into the driver's seat, starting the van. A huge black vehicle slams down onto a row of parked cars. "That's more like it," he said, accelerating.

The men froze, watching as the Batmobile stayed silent. Suddenly the canons popped up, blasting the cars around the men. The real Batman appeared, knocking down one of the fakes with his fist. The Chechen climbed into his SUV, starting the engine. He used his grapple to pull another fake Batman out of the dog's reach. An engine made him turn but before he could reach the SUV he was knocked sideways by Scarecrow's van. Scarecrow nodded at him, hitting the gas. Batman used the gauntlet to chop into the side of the van, but felt his arm get stuck. He pulled, seeing Scarecrow steer towards a column. Batman turned a dial on his gauntlet, a small explosion letting him pull his arm away and roll free just as the van scraped against the column and sped towards the circular exit ramp. Batman looked around, spotting the edge of the corkscrew ramp and climbing up, timing the descent. He jumped, falling ten storeys and opening his cape in time to land on the van, crushing the metal roof.

* * *

The Chechen's men were sat, lined up against a wall with the fake Batmen, their hands bound with zip-ties. Batman pulled the mask up from Scarecrow's face, glaring at him. A small part of him could not help but think of Jenny, and wonder how much Crane knew about her. He stood, heading for the Bat-mobile.

"We're trying to _help _you!" One of the fake Bat-men yelled.

"I don't need help," Batman growled.

"Not my diagnosis," Scarecrow sneered.

Batman ignored him, turning his face to the fake Bat-men as he sat in the Bat-mobile. "Don't let me find you out here again."

"What gives you the right?! What's the difference between you and me?!"

"I'm not wearing hockey pads," Batman growled, the roof of the Bat-mobile hissing closed. Sirens rang out in the distance.

Scarecrow smirked, and heard Crane's small voice in the back of his mind as the Bat-mobile drove away.

_Jenny.._

* * *

Gah, I knew this was coming, but hated writing it because I love Crane so much :( Don't worry though, he'll be gone for a while, but he _will_ be back :)

I'm having a complete freak out at home at the minute due to some information tomorrow that could determine what I'll be doing for the next three years of my life (I feel sick thinking about it because I'm sure I failed), so the next chapter may be uploaded a day late. Sorry about that :/

**Nameless Fable: **Haha me too. The police can be intelligent occasionally, but most of the time they miss things that are right in front of them :')

**samiantha: **Yeah, I agree. He'll be totally normal and placid and then suddenly lose it.. And haha, I'm taking the stupidity from the comics. Most of the time in certain storylines there's something really obvious that _everyone_ seems to miss.

**up in the woods: **I'm glad to hear it, haha! As much as I love Gordon, he doesn't realise how innocent Jenny was when she was locked away, so I'm definitely crossing my fingers for her :)

Thanks for reading, guys, and please, please review :)


	21. Chapter 21 White Knight

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Twenty-One**

Jenny was frozen to the television. Mike Engel had spent the full morning talking about the previous day's events. When both the Joker and Crane had not returned the nght before Jenny assumed they were both working jobs, but she had woken to find two huge news stories being repeated over and over again by Gotham's leading news anchor.

_"Welcome back to GCN. I'm Mike Engel. Today's top stories: Jonathan Crane, former patient of Arkham Asylum until his breakout a few months ago, was apprehended in downtown Gotham late last night. It's believed that Crane was trying to orchestrate a meeting with a lead member of a crime family when the arrest was made. No word has reached us yet concerning the Batman's involvement. Jonathan Crane, once a doctor at the very Asylum in which he was later incarcerated, was given life without parole after the Gotham police department discovered vital information which proved that Crane had performed illegal experiments on his patients. He broke out of Arkham Asylum with Jennifer Aiken, who was convicted of a double homicide, and the Joker. _

_The Joker is also in the news today after reports that he, and a number of accomplices, robbed Gotham First National Bank yesterday. Eye witnesses say the Joker killed his accomplices before escaping moments before SWAT teams arrived on the scene. He used grenades to subdue his hostages whilst stealing more than $68 million. In a moment we'll be speaking to Detective Montoya about what progress has been made in the hunt for the Joker, after this short break. Don't go away, folks."_

The news jingle rang out before commercials for cat food and new films were shown. Jenny couldn't believe it. She had been with Crane, less than 24 hours ago, and now he was sitting in a cell somewhere. She shook. What was she supposed to do? The Joker was getting more and more reckless- stealing from what she knew to be a mob bank. They'd probably be gunning for him now, too, as well as the cops who were getting more and more agitated the longer he avoided arrest. Crane was gone.. she couldn't even think about it. She felt sick.

The door swung open and the Joker walked in, a grin plastered on his face. Jenny stared at him as he jumped onto the couch next to her as though nothing had happened.

"What the _fuck _were you thinking?" She asked through gritted teeth.

"Is this a trick question?" he asked, his eyes glittering.

"It was a fucking _mob _bank, you lunatic!"

"I knew that-"

"What if they come here? What if they come after you?"

"I _want _them to-"

"You don't think. You say you don't plan, well, maybe you fucking _should_!"

"Are you mad at me, or at our little scarechum for getting caught?" He asked, watching her.

Anger coursed through her. "It's your fault he was there in the fucking first place. You told him to get back into his research-"

"Ah, he would've done it anyway."

"But he would've prepared! He would've planned properly, instead of listening to you and diving into the freaking deep end!"

"I like it when you're angry-"

"Fuck you!" Jenny yelled, getting more and more furious as she glared at the Joker's shit-eating grin. "We have to get him out."

"No, we don't."

"Yes, we do!"

"He got himself caught. He _knew _it could happen."

"We broke out of that place before, we can get him out again."

"They haven't locked him up in _Arkham_."

"_Then where is he_?" she asked, frustrated.

"Blackgate. And that's a whole different kettle of fish, sweetie. You can't escape from Blackgate."

"Then what the fuck do I do?!"

"You do what you do best. Keep your little robbery act up. You can't get ol' scarecrow out so there's no point in trying. No use crying over spilt milk."

"I'm supposed to act like nothing's happened?"

"Well, you could stay angry if you want. It's keeping me happy," he winked. She gave him a look of disgust, and turned her attention back to the television.

_"But you said yourself, on this very show in fact, that the police department believed that both Crane and Aiken had left Gotham. Now you believe he could have been here the entire time? What does this mean for the public? Could Jennifer Aiken still be out there?"_

_"We strongly believe that she isn't, and urge the public to stay calm. Don't overreact. This is a very good step in the right direction- Jonathan Crane is a convicted murderer, and the streets of Gotham are safer with him behind bars."_

_"Eye witnesses say that the Batman was involved in his arrest. Did your department work with the Batman to bring Jonathan Crane to justice?"_

_"We do not work with the Batman, and the Major Crimes Unit are closing in on him as we speak. We do not endorse vigilantes, and strongly advise against members of the public taking the law into their own hands."_

_"Surely you must agree that lately, with the Joker still on the loose, the public should be prepared for a confrontation with this, or another, criminal?"_

_"Well, knowledge of self-defense is always useful but, while the Joker is an extremely dangerous criminal, we believe he's doing this to scare the people of Gotham, and the best thing that the public can do is refuse to be frightened. He's a man with a very clear agenda, a very clear outlook on what he wants, and how to get it, and that will be his downfall-"_

The Joker tutted. "Well, they couldn't, ah, be more _wrong_."

"Why?" she asked quietly, still thinking about Crane.

"I don't have an _agenda_. I don't _plan_. I do whatever I feel like doing because having rules is an, ah, illusion, and a waste of time."

"The bank robbery was a plan," she pointed out.

"An _idea_. Not a plan."

"An idea for what? Getting rid of the Batman? You said that the other day, but what the hell has robbing a bank got to do with the Bat? If you're trying to draw him out then-"

"All will be revealed, beau-ti-ful. All will be revealed." He headed for the bedroom, leaving Jennifer alone, and thinking of Crane.

* * *

"Whenever you stitch yourself up, you do make a bloody mess," Alfred noted as he approached Bruce at the cluster of computers in the hideout.

"I learn from my mistakes," Bruce said, letting Alfred finish off the stitching.

"Well you ought to be pretty knowledgeable by now then."

"My armor.. I'm carrying too much weight. I need to be faster."

"I'm sure Mr Fox can oblige.. Did you get mauled by a tiger?" he asked, examining the wound.

"It was a dog." Alfred looked at him. "It was a big dog." He paused, thinking of the night he had just had. "There were more copycats, Alfred. With guns."

"Perhaps you could hire some and take the weekend off," Alfred smiled.

Bruce laughed. "That's not exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted to inspire people."

"I know.. but things are improving. Look at the new District Attorney-"

Wayne pointed to one of the monitors, where Harvey Dent's smiling face could be seen. "I am. Closely."

Alfred indicated another monitor to the left. "Are you interested in his character, or his.. social circle?"

Bruce furrowed his brow. Rachel had been his best friend since before he could talk. He couldn't keep his feelings for her hidden from Alfred, but he tried anyway. "Who Rachel spends her time with is her business."

"Well, I trust you don't have me followed, on my day off?"

"If you ever took one, I might," Bruce smiled, grabbing a clean shirt.

Alfred noticed the scars criss-crossing along Bruce's back- ragged and painful. "Know your limits, Master Wayne."

"Batman has no limits."

"Well, you do sir."

"I can't afford to know them."

Alfred gritted his teeth at Bruce's stubborness. "And what's going to happen on the day that you find out?"

"We all know how much you like to say 'I told you so'."

"On that day, Master Wayne, even I won't want to.. probably," Alfred smiled.

Bruce gave a small smile back, and buttoned up his shirt. "The bills the Joker stole were marked, so I'll be able to close in on him soon.. I've been thinking about Jennifer Aiken. I think she was in contact with Crane. It's hard to stay under the radar for long in Gotham, so maybe they lived together for a while.. or stayed in touch, at least."

"Master Wayne, your sympathy will get you killed one day."

"I visited her, a few weeks back. I think I can help her."

"You said she was innocent, correct, sir?"

"Yeah. Penrose framed her."

"Have you told Gordon?"

"With Penrose dead there's no hard evidence that she didn't do it.."

"Ah, well, sir. If she needs the Batman, I'm sure she's smart enough to _find _the Batman."

Bruce nodded, but was not entirely convinced.

* * *

Dent sat at his desk, looking across to Jim Gordon who looked very out of place in such as huge office. He picked up a bundle of bills from the Joker's heist and showed them to Gordon.

"Lightly irradiated bills.. fancy stuff for a city cop. Have help?"

"We liaise with various agencies-"

"Save it, Gordon. I want to meet him."

Gordon smiled under his moustache, knowing how stubborn Dent could be. "Official policy is to arrest the vigilante known as Batman on sight."

"And that flood light on top of MCU?" Dent asked.

"If you have any concerns about malfunctioning equipment-"

"I've put every known money launderer in Gotham behind bars, but the mob is still getting its money out. I think you and your 'friend' have found the last big game in town and you're trying to hit them where it hurts: their wallets. Bold. You gonna count me in?"

"In this town, the fewer people know something, the safer the operation."

Dent shifted, frustrated. "Gordon, I don't like that you've got your own special unit, and I don't like that it's full of cops I investigated at internal affairs."If I didn't work with cops you'd investigated while you were making your name at I.A.- I'd be working alone. I don't get political points for being an idealist- I have to do the best I can with what I have."

Dent sighed and glanced at Gordon, realising he wasn't going to give in.

"You want me to back warrants for search and seizure on five banks without telling me who we're after?"

"I can give you the names of the banks."

"..Well, that's a start. I'll get you your warrants. But I want your trust."

Gordon smiled through his moustache. "You don't have to sell me, Dent. We all know you're Gotham's white knight."

"One more thing-" Dent started as Gordon stood up. He looked at Dent questioningly. "Jennifer Aiken. Your guys are saying she left Gotham. There's no evidence of that. Are you writing off that investigation?"

"Right now the number one priority for MCU is the mob. Aiken hasn't made a move since her escape. We know she's high priority, but she doesn't appear dangerous at this time."

"'Doesn't appear-?' Gordon, she butchered her own parents! She killed guards to escape from a facility dead set on helping her. That counts as dangerous in my book."

"When the mob is finished our focus will be on Aiken. We still have men trying to find her, but that's not as important as the mob right now."

* * *

"Where are you going?" Jenny asked warily, as the Joker threw on his jacket. She had refused any more work after Crane's arrest- playing it safe. She knew that the police would assume she was also in Gotham, if Crane had been. They had escaped together, after all, it was only logical to assume they had stayed together. After the cops had reassured people that they had left Gotham for good, she had been less concerned about cops out looking for her. Now she wasn't so sure. The sickness she had felt after hearing of Crane's capture still hadn't disappeared, and so she stayed on the couch, drinking lemonade and watching the news for any new information.

"I have an, ah, important meeting to get to." He muttered.

She watched as he gathered his usual weapons, and realised that he may have planned another huge robbery. "I want to come with you."

"Aha, no."

"Why not?"

"_Be_cause-"

"Tell me where you're going, or I am coming with you," she snapped, her eyes blazing.

"I'm paying a friendly visit to the mob."

"The_ mob_? Are you suicidal?"

"I have a, ah, proposition for them. And they're taking too long coming to _me_, so I'm going to _them_."

"You just stole $68 million from them! They're not going to give you time for a polite conversation!" She couldn't believe him. She knew he was reckless, sure. She knew he didn't care about his health, safety, or pretty much anything. But the mob was the most feared organisation in Gotham. They had power in every level of command. If the Joker visited them, he wouldn't be leaving alive. "You can't just waltz in there-"

"I can. And I will. Stay here."

Before she could say anything else he had disappeared out of the front door.

* * *

Good news guys. I found out this morning that I got into university! So relieved- didn't think I'd get in at all :D

Anyway, thank you so much for reading. I know that introducing a lot of new characters is taking the spotlight off Jenny a bit, but she's still very much the focus of this story, so don't worry :)

**Nameless Fable:** I know, I feel so sorry for him :( My plan is that Jenny helps the Joker with his dastardly plans for a bit, while Bruce tries to convince her to keep away from the Dark Side. It might change as I write, we'll have to wait and see :)

**samiantha: **Haha he'll definitely be twisting the situation at some point in the future ;)

**up in the woods: **Haha, thanks! I'm glad you liked the kiss scene :3 And I'm still trying to work around TDK scenes and keep Jenny as involved as possible. It's taking a little while to figure out, but hopefully she'll be featured a lot more in upcoming chapters :)


	22. Chapter 22 Jurisdiction

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

"Sir, I know Mr Wayne's curious about how his trust find gets replenished but frankly.. this is embarrassing," Coleman Reese, an ambitious lawyer, stood with Lucius Fox as Mr Lau disappeared behind elevator doors.

"You worry about the diligence, Mr Reese. I'll worry about Bruce Wayne," Fox said, heading for the boardroom with Reese in tow.

"It's done- the number are solid."

Fox looked at him and smiled. "Do it again. Wouldn't want the trust fund to run out now, would we?"

He waited until Reese had disappeared, no doubt mumbling under his breath, before entering the boardroom and greeting Bruce who stood at the window.

"This joint venture was your idea, and the consultants love it, but I'm not convinced. L.S.I.'s grown 8 percent annually, like clockwork. They must have a revenue stream that's off the books. Maybe even illegal."

"Ok," Bruce nodded, "Cancel the deal."

Fox paused for a second, noticing Bruce's expression. "You already knew."

"I needed a closer look at their books."

Fox smiled wryly, "Anything else you can trouble me for?"

"I need a new suit," Bruce answered, handing Fox a page of sketches and diagrams.

"You want to be able to turn your head?" Fox asked, looking them over.

"It'd sure make backing out of the driveway easier."

"I'll see what I can do." Bruce turned to leave. "Mr Wayne?" Fox asked quickly, stopping him in his tracks. "Alfred tells me that you visited Jennifer Aiken recently?"

"He did, huh?"

"Be careful, Mr Wayne. Some criminals can be reasoned with, some can't."

"I can help her."

"You can't force her to accept your help."

"Lucius she's been through a _lot_. She needs someone that understands, someone that can give her the tools she needs to start again."

"I don't know what connection you think you have with Aiken, Mr Wayne, but whatever it is, don't let it cloud your rational judgement. Now, don't you have a date?"

* * *

Dent looked around at the other people in the restaurant. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt intimidated. Top judges, billionaires and the wealthiest people in Gotham all dined there. He felt like he didn't belong. His new life as District Attorney, and the privileges that came with it, still took some getting used to. His gaze turned to Rachel Dawes, sat opposite him, with a large grin. He still couldn't believe that she wanted to be with him, of all people. She could get anyone she wanted.

"It took three weeks to get a reservation and I had to tell them I worked for the government."

Really?" Rachel smiled, knowing that he was trying to show her how much he was willing to do for her. She knew he was nervous, but he didn't have to worry.

"_This _city health inspector's not afraid to pull strings," he grinned.

"Rachel! Fancy that." A voice behind him made him turn. His face fell slightly as he saw trust-find extraordinaire Bruce Wayne approaching them, with a woman on his arm.

"Yeah, Bruce. Fancy that," Rachel smiled.

"Rachel, Natascha. Natascha, Rachel," Bruce smiled between them.

"The famous Bruce Wayne," Harvey said, being as civil as possible whilst inwardly feeling disappointed that his intimate dinner with Rachel had been interrupted. "Rachel's told me everything about you."

"I certainly hope not," Bruce laughed, secretly thinking of when he recently revealed Batman's identity to Rachel.

"Bruce, this is Harvey Dent," Rachel introduced, and Harvey nodded awkwardly.

"Let's put a couple of tables together."

"I'm not sure that they'll let us.."

"Oh, they should. I own the place," Bruce smiled, gesturing to a waiter.

_Of course.._ Harvey thought.

* * *

A while later and they were finishing their starter dishes, deep in discussion.

"Exactly. Who appointed the Batman?" Bruce asked. Rachel's mouth twitched.

"We did. All of us who stood by and let scum take control of our city." Wayne watched Dent's passion with fascination.

"But this is a democracy, Harvey," Natascha argued, smiling.

"When their enemies were at the gate, the Romans would suspend democracy and appoint one man to protect the city. It wasn't considered an honor. It was considered a public service."

Rachel laughed, "The last man they asked to protect the republic was named Caesar. He never gave up that power."

"Well, I guess you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Look, whoever the Batman is, he doesn't want to spend the rest of his life doing this. How could he? Batman's looking for someone to take up his mantle."

"Someone like you, Mr Dent?" Natascha raised a napkin to cover Harvey's eyes. "What if Harvey Dent is the caped crusader?"

"If I were sneaking out every night someone would've noticed by now," Dent said, taking Rachel's hand. Bruce caught Rachel's eye, feeling the atmosphere become awkward.

"Well, you've sold me, Dent. I'm gonna throw you a fundraiser," Bruce leaned back in his chair.

"That's nice of you, Bruce, but I'm not up for re-election for three years. That stuff won't start for-"

"No, you don't understand. One fudraiser with my pals, and you'll never need another cent."

* * *

The Joker stood, as still as a statue, and listened to the mob talking about the robbery and what they were going to do with the money. Any normal person would've brought a goon or two, but he didn't need them. The mob was a group of middle-aged men, hiding behind a mask of power and authority. Much like the police department. Plus he had the small bomb in the lining of his jacket. No, he didn't think they'd be a problem.

"Two-bit whack-job wears a cheap purple suit and make-up. He's not the problem- he's a nobody.. The _problem _is our money being tracked by the cops."

_Cheap suit? _The Joker smiled. He had bought the suit after the mob bank heist, his last one had been ruined when he tied the stitching to the grenade. He heard the man on the television speak again.

_"Thanks to Maroni's well-placed sources we know that police have indeed identified our banks using marked bills and are planning to seize your funds today-_"

"You promised safe, clean money launder-" He heard a Russian voice say.

_"With the investigation ongoing, none of you can risk hanging on to your own proceeds. And since the enthusiastic new D.A. has put all my competitors out of business, I'm your only option."_

"So what are you proposing?"

_"Moving all deposits to one secure location. Not a bank."_

"Where, then?"

_"Obviously, no one can know but me. If the police were to gain leverage over one of you everyone's money would be at stake."_

"What stops them getting to you?"

_"As the money is moved I go to Hong Kong. Far from Dent's jurisdiction. And the Chinese will not extradite one of their own."_

"How soon can you move the money?"

_"I already have. For obvious reasons, I couldn't wait for your permission. Don't worry- your money is safe."_

He'd heard enough. He entered the room, exaggerating his laughing as he did so.

"Hahahahehehehehehohohohahaha ." The mob looked up as he entered, his laughter filling the room. Several of the men recoiled slightly, their eyes falling on his ghoulish scars. "And I thought _my _jokes were bad." He relished their shocked reaction.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn't have my boy here pull your head off," a black man to the right said. _This must be Gambol.. _The Joker grinned.

"How 'bout a magic trick?" He took out a sharpened pencil with a flourish, and slammed it upright into the table. "I'm gonna make this pencil _disappear_." Gambol nodded to one of his bodyguards, who charged forwards. The Joker grinned, sidestepped and gripped the man's head, slamming it hard against the pencil. the man slumped to the floor, taking the pencil with him. The Joker bowed and grinned at Gambol. "Ta-da! It's, ah, it's _gone_." He sat down, adjusting his suit. "And the _suit _wasn't cheap. You oughta know; you bought it."

Gambol stood furiously and the Chechen held up his hand. "Sit. I want to hear proposition." The Joker nodded at him. At least there was one smart one..

"Let's wind the clocks back a year. These, ah, cops and lawyers wouldn't _dare _cross _any _of you... I mean, what happened? Did your balls drop off? See, a guy like me-"

"A freak." Some of the men chuckled, and the Joker tried to ignore them.

"A guy like me... Look. I know _why _you're holding your little _group therapy session _in broad daylight. I know why you're afraid to go out at night. Batman. He's shown Gotham your true colours. And Dent's just the beginning." He nodded towards the television. And as for the, ah, television's so-called _plan_- Batman has no _jurisdiction. _He'll find him and make him _squeal_... I know the squealers when I see them _aaaannd_.." He grinned at the television and Lau switched his feed off.

"What you propose?" The Chechen asked.

"It's simple. We, ah, _kill _the Batman." Disbelieving laughs rang around the room.

Sal Maroni piped in, looking bored. "If it's so easy why haven't you done it already?

"If you're _good _at something, never do it for _free_."

The Chechen looked genuinely interested. The Joker's scars twitched into another smile.

"How much you want?"

"Ah, _half_."

The men laughed again.

"You're crazy," Gambol said, furious that the rest of the mob were actually listening to the Joker as though they were considering his 'proposition'.

The Joker looked at him, remembering his three years in Arkham, remembering how he felt much saner in the 'real world' next to the 'civilised people' than he did in the asylum. He remembered Jenny, and her growing realisations of how the world really worked. They weren't the crazy ones. "I'm not. No, I'm _not_. Look, if you don't deal with this _now_, soon, ah, Gambol won't even be able to get a nickel for his grandma-"

Gambol slammed the table with his fist, jumping up. "Enough from the clown!"

The Joker stood, opening his jacket to reveal the explosives. "Ahtatata. Let's not _blow _this out of proportion," he said, holding the trigger string of the explosives.

"You think you can steal from us and just walk away?" Gambol asked, failing to look calm.

"Yeah."

"I'm putting the word out- 5 hundred grand for this clown dead. A _million _alive, so I get to teach him some manners first."

The Joker looked at the others. "Right, well, why don't you give me a call, when you want to start taking things a little more serious-ly. Here's.. my.. _card_." He placed a Joker card on the table, and wiggled the string of the explosives again, backing further away until he reached the door. He kicked it open, vanishing from sight.

* * *

Bruce sat on the edge of the building, looking down at the roof of the police department. Dent was pacing back and forth, in front of the blaring light of the bat-signal. He already knew that Lau was on his jet, travelling to Hong Kong. Somehow he had gotten word about the movements on five banks that Gordon had orchestrated. There must be a leak.. it furstrated Bruce that he couldn't find it. Someone was helping the mob. Someone knew everything. Thinking about it was making him angry, so his thoughts shifted to Jennifer Aiken. Her name had been thrown around a lot lately. Crane had been arrested, the Joker was causing mayhem, and she had broken out of Arkham with her. So whenever one of those men was mentioned on the news, usually during one of Engel's monologues about what was wrong with Gotham these days, her name would inevitably be mentioned in the same breath. _'Where was Jennifer Aiken? What could she be doing? Laying in wait?' _He had grown tired of the news lumping her together with the Joker. She wasn't the one shooting people in banks and giving people live grenades. He felt a pang of sympathy for her. Normally he didn't sympathise with criminals. He caught them, sent them to prison, or Arkham, where they could get the help they needed, but he never wanted to help someone get a completely new life before. He had seen her for himself, robbing thousands of dollars worth of jewels from stores, but he was still convinced that she was innocent. A young girl of 18, developing a crippling disorder, losing her family and locked away at the mercy of a psychotic doctor. He'd never wanted to help someone so much. He knew Fox was right, his desire to help her could affect his judgement, he'd have to be careful..

He realised he'd been lurking in the shadows too long, and swooped down onto the building with Dent.

He swirled around at the sound, locking eyes with the Bat. "You're a hard man to reach."

Gordon burst onto the rooftop with his gun out, looking around wildly for whoever had turned on the Bat-signal. When he saw Dent and the Bat he holstered his weapon angrily.

Dent glared at him. "Lau's halfway to Hong Kong- if you'd asked, I could have taken his passport- I told you to keep me in the loop."

"All that was left in the vaults were the marked bills- they knew we were coming! As soon as your office got involved, there's a leak-"

"My office?! You're sitting down here with scum like Wuertz and Ramirez..." He noticed Gordon's momentarily shocked expression. "Oh, yeah, Gordon- I almost had your rookie cold on a racketeering beat!"

"Don't try to cloud the fact that clearly Maroni's got people in your offfice, Dent!" Gordon snapped. They both turned to the Batman, almost forgetting he was there.

"We need Lau back, but the Chinese won't extradite one of their own under any circumstances."

"If I get him to you, can you get him to talk?" Bruce asked, fascinated by Dent's dedication.

"I'll get him to _sing_."

"We're going after the mob's life savings," Gordon said. "Things will get ugly."

"I knew the risks when I took this job, lieutenant. Same as you," Dent answered.

* * *

The next morning Bruce sat, examining parts of his new Bat-suit. Fox had shown him the basics, and had recommended reading the instruction manual when Bruce almost pierced them both with blades from his armor. Now Lucius was off trying to find something called 'Sky-hook', to help Bruce with the task of getting Lau back to Gotham, and Alfred was tracking down a man who had a plane for hire. He turned back to the computer screen, where he had been trying to make sense of Jennifer. He noted that no jewelry stores had been robbed in the last few days. He wondered if she was working on something bigger until he noticed that no stores had been robbed since he had captured Crane. That couldn't be a coincidence. He had entertained the thought before, but now he was certain- they had stayed together after the breakout, perhaps even lived together. Had the Joker joined them in their little setup? He hated spending so much time looking over Aiken's files again and again, hoping to find something new, something useful. With the Joker out there, and Lau running away from his crimes he had more pressing matters to worry about than Jennifer, but for some reason he couldn't stop flicking her file open whenever he saw it. He remembered how easily she had broken into the jewelry store, the night he met her. He knew that, in a way, the city was lucky. If she was truly evil then Gotham would have another criminal mastermind on their hands. As it was that position was filled by the Joker, and Jenny was still a mastermind, but one that kept away from situations in which she hurt people. For now, anyway..

* * *

As she sat, flicking the tv channels between two news programmes, it occured to her that she hadn't worked a job in a week. It had been a week since Crane's arrest, and the only thing that had happened in that time was the Joker, the day after Crane's arrest, coming home and telling her that his meeting with the mob had gone well. Whether it had gone well for the mob as well as him, she didn't know, and didn't care. Mansur was part of the mob, and Mansur was the reason Crane was in that parking lot in the first place. If anyone was to blame for Crane's incarceration it was Mansur.. and the Batman.. and the Joker, for convincing Crane to continue his research in the first place. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about Crane since it had happened. She wanted to free him, but she had no idea how. The Joker was right- Blackgate was almost impossible to break into, even for someone like her, whose skills had developed so much over the past few weeks. She thought of him, alone in a cell. Was he okay with being arrested? It was always a possibility, doing what they do, and if she knew it then he definitely did. Hate surged through her for Mansur, and the rest of the mob. She felt angry tears well up in her eyes, and she wiped them away- furious at herself for letting her emotions get the better of her. She stood, and went to bed in silence, for once not even bothering to think about the Joker who was resting on one side of the bed. As she lay, facing the wall and still shaking in hatred at the mob, she wondered what on earth she was going to do next.

* * *

I know, I know. Not a lot happened in this chapter. For this one I mostly stuck to the script, laying down the situation with the mob etc, so this one is a bit slow unfortunately. But, much like the film, things start speeding up soon ;) And, once again, I'm sorry for sending Crane to Blackgate! It was awful to write.. I love that psychotic ex-doctor. Thanks to everyone who's sticking with this story, I love you guys :) Also, thanks to everyone who has favourited, followed, and reviewed. Please keep reading and reviewing! :)

**Nameless Fable:** Haha I know! It was pretty hard to write :/ No sexy time, or even face-to-face time, with Crane will almost definitely take its toll on her, but there's a certain homicidal clown on the scene to pick up the pieces ;)

**TC Stark: **I've had a lot of fun reading your reviews as you caught up with the story :) Thanks so much for reading :) And yeah, I can't imagine spending that long in prison, alone. It must've been awful for him :| And I'm definitely planning some Jenny/Joker sexy time soon, so look out for that ;)


	23. Chapter 23 Liquor

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

He leaned on his elbows, resting on the kitchen counter, at the back of Jenny's head on the couch. She hadn't moved all day. If it was anyone else he wouldn't give a fuck but, despite his better judgement, he still felt a connection to her. He hated himself for it. He didn't want to feel _connected _to _anyone. _It was only a vague connection, but he felt it. It was strange, and extremely frustrating. He didn't know exactly what it was, either. She was strange, mysterious, alluring. Everyone he had ever met seemed to be predictable and boring- puppets in the carnivalesque show of society, but she seemed to realise the same things as he did. She seemed to see past the charades too. It was almost as though he had spent his entire life watching the world go by on the other side of a curtain, just making out the shadows, and all of a sudden she appeared, on the same side as him. It wasn't a romantic feeling, he knew that. He _did _feel a stirring in his groin, an unbelievable arousal every time he saw her, but he put that down to the fact that she had killed people in front of him. In the Joker's messed up mind that was the number one turn-on.

He knew that Crane had felt similarly. But there was a major difference. Crane looked at her like a love-sick puppy, always when she was looking the other way. He cared for her, that was certain. It was sickly, in the Joker's opinion. He was sure Scarecrow felt the same. He may have been a part of Crane, but he thought on a closer wavelength to the Joker. He wondered if Crane had ever wanted to push Jenny against the wall, fucking her and making her moan. The thought made him more aroused than he was previously.

The Joker, on the other hand, didn't look at her like a love-sick puppy. Instead he admired her, with a twinkle in his dark eyes. He enjoyed watching her transformation from shy little head case, to bat-shit crazy criminal mastermind. When he fantasised about her he didn't _make love. _He fucked her, and he fucked her hard. In his fantasies she was ready and willing, enjoying the Joker inflicting pain across her body. He imagined biting her skin, gripping her arms and leaving bruises. He gritted his teeth as he watched the back of her head, feeling his excitement grow.

He hated seeing her sat there, in morose silence for days on end. She had been energetic, loving her jobs as a fully-fledged criminal, but she hadn't had a job in nearly a week. She still talked, but rarely. She needed to get out of the rut that she had fallen in. Crane was gone, and there was nothing she could do about that. He thought for a moment, deciding that she needed someone to show her a good time. He left without another word.

* * *

Jenny heard the door shut, and turned her head too late. The Joker had apparently just left. She wondered what he was going to do- probably another bank heist, or another visit to the mob. This pissed her off. Her hatred of the mob had been growing day after day, and she wanted a part of whatever the Joker was trying to do to them. She'd have to ask him when he came back. She knew she'd been miserable for the past few days, the thought of Crane in his cell was still stuck in her mind, but she was determined to pick herself back up. She wasn't in love with him after all. Their intimate encounters had made her develop feelings for him, stronger than she had beforehand, but she was still neglecting her own life while she thought of Crane. She hated pushing him from her mind, but right now that's what she had to do. At least until she got revenge on the mob.

The door opened and the Joker entered again, kicking the door shut behind him. He had a bag with him, and Jenny watched as he pulled bottle after bottle of liquor out, before throwing the bag aside. She wasn't sure she wanted to know how he'd got said liquor- he couldn't just waltz into a supermarket. It didn't really bother her though, and she stared at him as he sat down, opened one of the bottles, took a swig and handed it out to her.

"What are you doing?" she asked, confused.

"We're _drinking_," he answered, swinging the bottle slightly in front of her face until she took it from him.

"Why?"

"Because you're acting like Elvis just died. We're drinking until you _lighten _up."

"...Elvis?" The Joker grinned maniacally as Jenny took a small sip of the drink, which she recognised as tequila. She pulled a face and coughed as it burnt her throat. She gave a small smile. Even the slightest taste of liquor was welcome after the week that she had endured. She finished half the bottle in a few minutes, her eyes on the verge of watering. The Joker had opened another bottle for himself, and was almost finished with it. Her head buzzed pleasantly, and she watched as the Joker downed the rest of the bottle. Once again the liquor seemed to have no effect, but as he reached for another bottle and almost smashed it as he slipped she realised that it did have an effect, it was just hard to spot amongst his normal, erratic behaviour. They drank for more than an hour, talking about little, unimportant things until the Joker managed to bring the talk back around to Crane.

"You shouldn't feel, ah, _sorry _for him. He gets hot meals every day. They're not leaving him to _starve_," he said.

"But," Jenny frowned, her words slurring together and rolling off her tongue easier than they normally did, "I should've helped him. I could've helped him with Mansur, at least been there to help him fight.."

"It was the _bat_man. He took your precious Crane away. Be angry at _him_."

"I'm not angry-"

"Bullshit," he grinned, borrowing one of her favourite curses. She narrowed her eyes. "You miss little ol' Scarecrow. You miss his floppy hair and potato sack-mask."

"Leave him alone."

"He isn't _here_. You miss his baby blues and the pole that's shoved up his-"

"Joseph, stop it!"

The Joker's grin widened and he licked his lips involuntarily. Moving closer Jenny could see the glint in his dark eyes. "I bet you wanted to _fuck _him." She could see how much the liquor had affected him now, the involuntary licking of the lips increased, and his movements were more excited. The greasepaint was smudged slightly, showing every wrinkle in his skin. "I bet you wanted to feel his hands all over you-"

"_Joseph_!" He gave a maniacal laugh. "We already _did_." She said pointedly, hoping to escape his teasing. She could feel the alcohol affecting her judgement, her heart was pounding more than it should have been. She thought she saw a flicker of surprise across his face, but it was gone before she could know for sure.

* * *

His eyes flicked over her face, trying to determine whether or not she was lying. She was looking at him defiantly, her features calm. It _had _shocked him, but he had composed his features before she noticed. He had seen the way Crane had looked at her, and he felt angry at himself for not noticing it before now. So that was why she was so broken up about his arrest.. He licked his lips, deciding that if Crane had tried it on with her, he should show her how good he could make her feel. Crane was nothing compared to him, he was sure of it. It wasn't a competition, but considering how long he had wanted to touch her, and had restrained himself, only for Crane to swoop in.. He managed to restrain his anger. Instead he moved closer to Jenny, his hand resting on her thigh. He watched her face, his eyes never leaving hers.

"What did he do?" He asked. "Was he _romantic_?" His hand moved further up, and he saw her expression shift slightly as she watched him. He could imagine Crane taking his time, making things painfully slow. He wouldn't put it past Crane to make her a mixtape if he could've. Her breathing speed increased and he wondered if she would've pushed him away had she not been intoxicated. He moved his hand up, to between her legs, and she shifted, a small noise escaping from her lips. He watched her eyes as they stayed fixed on him and decided that he had waited long enough. He lunged, moving on top of her. She moved her hands, half-heartedly, to push him off, suddenly coming to her senses, but he grabbed them both with one hand and moved them above her head, his lips crushing against hers. It was almost exactly like their first kiss in the trees bordering the Narrows, the night of their escape. He felt her shock beneath him, her lips open in surprise, her body relax as she relented. His hands still kept a firm grip on her wrists, not caring if it left bruises. He gave her small kisses at first, but his excitement was almost too much to bear, and his tongue slipped into her mouth, feeling her return the sentiment. He let go of her wrists, his hands moving downwars- one in her hair, and one moving beneath her shirt. He didn't bother being gentle, he could sense that she liked it rough. He nipped at her lips and she moaned. He pulled back, gritting his teeth. Her moan had stirred more arousal inside him and his fingers tightened in her hair as he moved in again, kissing her roughly. She tried to keep up, feeling his stiffness grinding against her and gasping whenever he moved slightly. Suddenly he grabbed her, pulling her to the floor. He almost ripped her clothing, pulling it off, and then his, faster than either of them could have imagined. He took a second to look down at her, seeing the old bruises that scattered across her pale skin, the small scars, and was reminded of how timid she had seemed when he had first met her in the Arkham rec room. It seemed a lifetime away, and she had grown so much. He moved in again, biting at her neck, moving up to her lips, before moving to her earlobe.

"Did Crane ever do _this_?" He whispered in her ear, his arousal forming a strange growl around his words.

"No," she managed to groan, feeling him grind against her again. He gave a small smile to himself before positioning himself, feeling the heat before he was close. He thrust inside her suddenly, relishing the feeling that he had wanted for so long. Her legs wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled him closer. Her breath caught in her throat as her eyes clasped tightly shut. He moved inside her, again and again, growling slightly with each thrust. He wasn't gentle, and the fact that she didn't care seemed to arouse him even more. He had wanted this for far too long, and now he had her he wondered why he hadn't done it sooner. It wasn't like him to ignore his impulses, especially one this strong. Her hands moved into his hair and they kissed forcefully, tongues and lips crushing together. He increased his speed, moving deeper and harder.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," she whispered, biting her lip with such force that a thin line of blood dripped from the cut.

"_Jen_-" he groaned, one hand gripping her arm enough to leae bruises and fingernail indents, his other hand gripping her hair tightly. It wasn't long before he felt the feeling rise up, threatening to completely engulf him. He stiffened, and felt her do the same. He collapsed on top of her, feeling her chest move as her breath slowly returned to normal. He lay next to her, his hand releasing his grip on her arm. He watched as the white where the blood flow had been interrupted returned to pink, and saw the red curved indents of his fingernails. She didn't seem to care.

* * *

I know, I know. I haven't uploaded in a few days, mainly because I'm trying to get through a re-read of some books before the end of the summer. But, here is another chapter, and hopefully you guys will like it ;)

**Auriellis:** I noticed haha, don't worry. I haven't had a lot of time to write the chapters lately, and using the scenes from the move helped speed events along, whilst introducing important characters :) I know I've been using a few too many though, so hopefully you'll like this original chapter :) I'm trying to avoid using actual film scenes, and show the progression of events through various other ways, like news stories etc. And yes, there will be more 'off camera' scenes, giving us some context etc :) Thanks so much for reading and reviewing :)

**Nameless Fable: **Haha I don't think he'll be too pleased, and I definitely think he'll want his own back on Jenny when he finds out ;)

**samiantha: **I think Bruce could really do with a hug at the minute haha. Crane's arrest is definitely taking its toll on Jenny, but the Joker has definitely decided to keep her amused in his absence ;)

**TC Stark: **I absolutely love that scene, everything about the Joker while he talks to the mob.. it's incredible :3 And hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter then ;P

Thanks for reading guys :)


	24. Chapter 24 Unstable

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Jenny sipped her coffee, her mind lost in the recollection of the past week's events. Neither her or the Joker had mentioned their night together, which was fine by her. She still had bruises that told the story of what had happened. There was undoubtedly something between them, some sexual tension, but she didn't feel the same way about the Joker as she did about Crane. Crane was still in Blackgate. His name hadn't been mentioned on the news and Jenny was becoming more and more worried that he was forgetting about her, and a part of her wondered if she was forgetting him. When he had been captured she was filled with a determination to help him escape but now.. she wanted him with her but, after their breakout, the security at all criminal facilities in and around Gotham had been doubled. There was no chance, so she pushed it from her mind to deal with more important issues.

The Joker had been particularly busy, making the most of the current situation. The new District Attorney, Dent, had managed to charge the entire mob, over 500 men, with a huge list of crimes in something called a RICO case. Most of them were still in prison, which suited Jenny fine. The bosses, however, were already out- after using their influence and remaining funds to make bail. That meant that Mansur was back on the streets. Mansur was the one that Jenny hated the most. Sure, she still hated the Batman for capturing Crane, but Mansur was the one who organised the meeting that night. He must've told someone about the meeting, and word must've reached the Batman, so he put an end to their little drug meeting. Mansur was the one that Jenny wanted. Just the thought of him filled her with a loathing worse than she had ever experienced before. The capture of the Chinese man, Lau, meant that the mob were broke. They had no money at all. Lau had seized it all, and now he was sat in a cell at MCU, being grilled by Dent and Gordon.

The Joker had been very excited at this turn of events involving the mob, but seemed furious that Dent had destroyed the mob in one move. He had wanted to work for them, Jenny knew. Or with them.. she wasn't quite sure. The point was, Dent had put a spanner in the works, making things both complicated and interesting at the same time.

This had caused the Joker to grow even more angry and reckless. His old plan had apparently been thrown out of the window. Before, he had focused on the mob, with a special interest in the Batman on the side, but now he was fully focused on getting revenge. He wanted Dent dead. He hated the way that Dent had swept up the streets in one day. But he also found it hilarious that the public thought this would save them.

The news had gone crazy yesterday when the Joker sent a video to GCN, showing a man tied to a chair, whilst the Joker warned the Batman that if he didn't reveal his true face, he would kill more people. Jenny didn't know which disturbed her more- the fact that she was living with such a madman, or the fact that he was murdering innocents and it didn't seem to bother her. She frowned. Just realising how 'okay' she was with it made her feel cold.

He'd paid a visit to Harvey Dent's fundraiser, organised by Bruce Wayne, last night. She wasn't sure what had happened, but he came back looking gleeful.

* * *

Now Jenny was sat, lost in thought, wondering how the hell they had reached this point. The newscaster was announcing the deaths of Commissioner Loeb and Judge Cerillo. She stared at the screen blankly. Why didn't it bother her? Why wasn't she trying to stop the Joker's killing spree?

The truth was, after so long at Arkham and watching the news every day, she realised she hated Gotham. She hated the city, and the high-up officials and billionaires who seemed oblivious to the sufferings of others. They sat in their restaurants and hotels, drinking champagne.. not caring about anything. Jenny felt that something drastic had to be done sonner or later. The Joker was just holding a mirror up to the city, showing the officials their true faces. It still scared her. Her nerves were in tatters. She was sure that the police would kick the door down at any moment. She should've run a mile when the Joker started this new campaign. But she didn't. She found the whole thing funny. The way the city would run at whoever promised to save them.

The one thing that amused her the most was the hypocrisy. The whole city would idolise the Batman, worshipping him and turning a blind eye when he flew halfway around the world to capture a Chinese CEO (which she was sure was illegal). But as soon as the Joker lit a fire under their asses they were shouting for the Batman to come forward, calling him a criminal and a killer. They really couldn't make their mind up. Jennifer's name had been dropped once or twice. Mike Engel, the news anchor, would often make the argument that the failed re-capture of Jenny and the Joker was just more proof that the Batman was losing his touch and needed to be stopped.

After the night with the Joker Jenny had once again started robbing stores, moving onto a bank or two as she grew more confident in her abilities. No one saw her, no one suspected her, and even less so now that there was so much confusion and fear in the city. Crane would've loved that.

If there was one thing she was sure of, it was that the Joker didn't have a masterplan. He didn't have a supreme goal. He seemed to just do whatever he wanted because he _could_. All of this thinking was giving her migraines. She couldn't decide what to do. She loved what she did, even justified her actions to herself ocassionally. Even living with the Joker had its perks as she picked up new tricks and manipulation techniques. But could she really sit back and watch while the Joker destroyed an entire city?

* * *

The Joker entered, his purple suit covered in spatters of blood, breathless with excitement. A thin man entered after him, looking around with wide-eyed interest. His features were pointy and his eyes had a strange manic look to them. He seemed oddly familiar. He locked eyes with Jenny and giggled. Jenny watched them, almost warily, as the Joker pulled out a phone.

"8th at Orchard," he said breathlessly, "You'll find Harvey Dent there." He hung up and grinned gleefully. Jenny felt her stomach drop.

"What the _fuck _have you done?" She hissed, standing up. "You've killed Dent? Do you have any idea what will happen now? The cops are gonna be out for _blood_. They'll kill you!" The Joker just grinned as she advanced, and didn't even flinch when she hit him in the shoulder, trying to get a reaction. The thin man watched, looking scared and unsure of what to do. "What have you done?" She repeated angrily.

"Relax beau-ti-ful. I haven't killed _the _Harvey Dent. If you're so determined to keep the, uh, high and mighty alive then you'll be grateful. I've _warned _them. I've _told _them what I'm going to do next."

"What do you mean? What are you going to do next?"

"I'm gonna to kill the mayor."

* * *

Ahhh, guys I'm so so sorry that it has taken this long D: I'm starting university in a week (terrified) so I've been ridiculously busy buying books and sorting everything out for the semester. Very short chapter today with not much development, but I couldn't go any longer without uploading something for you :)

My uploads are probably going to be quite infrequent, due to me having no idea how much work I'm going to have etc. But I _promise_ that I'll upload whenever I can. I have big plans for where I want this story to go ;) I haven't lost motivation, but it may seem like a while between chapters and for that I can only apologise :( I'm planning on uploading a chapter at least every few weeks, or something along those lines. Thanks so much for being supportive! I love everyone that has stuck with this story :D

**AmeliaDogwood:** Happy belated birthday! I feel special that the chapter felt like a present ^_^

**ElektraMackenzie: **I know, haha. I bet a lot of us want to be in Jenny's shoes!

**Nameless Fable:** He'll definitely pop back in at some point ;)

**samiantha:** I know haha, he took his time! I'm definitely not losing inspiration, the only problem at the minute is not having enough time to upload frequently enough :/ Hopefully this will change soon :)

**TCStark: **Ooh, hello Loki profile picture :3 We'll have to wait and see whether the Joker will be captured before Crane comes back. It'd definitely be interesting to see how Jenny copes without either of them. I'm glad you're still enjoying the story :)**  
**

**TymanTB:** Thanks so much :) It was a close call haha

You are all amazing, thanks so much for reading, and please continue to review!


	25. Chapter 25 MCU

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

"So.. you're Schiff, right?" Jenny asked, eyeing the man. He was sat in Crane's old armchair. She didn't like that one bit. He nodded, his eyes still wide as though he was terrified that something was going to jump out any second. "You were in Arkham?" He nodded again. "I thought so.. I recognised you when you came in last night." He just looked at her. She sighed. "Well, thanks for the enlightening conversation.." She stood and moved into the bedroom where the Joker was shrugging on his suit.

She sat on the edge of the bed and watched him. "You're going to walk through the streets in that?" Even the Joker couldn't hide from the crowds in a bright purple suit in broad daylight.

"No, no, no. I've got a _uniform_.. waiting to be picked up."

"Why is Schiff here?"

"He's a bit of a whacko. I didn't trust him enough to send him off until I needed him. Best to, uh, keep him _close_."

"You shouldn't do this," Jenny blurted before she lost her courage. The Joker looked at her, his eyebrows raised.

"And why _not_?"

Why not? What could she say? Could she tell him the truth- that she hadn't slept at all last night due to worrying over what the Joker was going to do. When he had declared his plans to kill the mayor everything seemed to become real for Jenny. Suddenly she realised that she was on the run, that she was living with a psychotic killer.. and that she was a killer herself. She couldn't wrap her head around it. Killing an innocent man on camera, blowing up judges, poisoning commissioners, and now shooting the mayor in front of the entire city? It was getting too big for her. Instead of saying this, however, she tried to downplay the situation. "I don't think you'll gain anything from it. Wait and see what Dent does next-"

"I want the Batman."

"You wanted the Batman two weeks ago, then the mob last week, Dent after that, the mayor, and now Batman again. You can't make your mind up. This is getting too unpredictable. I don't like it." The Joker laughed manically and Jenny sat, feeling uncomfortable, and waited for him to finish.

"You don't _like _it?" He finally asked. "You hated the Batman for Crane, and you hated the mob, and you hated Dent.. you hated everyone in power. Why should the, uh, mayor be any different?"

"This is getting too big, Joseph. You're going to get caught. It's like you don't care-"

"I don't." That shut her up. She knew he didn't care, and he'd proved this fact a million times over. But now it hit home.

"We should be thinking of a way to free Crane-"

"Scary got himself caught. It was always a risk. He's fine without us."

"How the fuck do you know that?" She asked, getting angry now.

"Fine. I don't know. But who _cares_? We can't get to him, might as well have some _fun_."

"Shooting people in front of the entire city- that's fun?"

"Yeah." She stared at him. Had he always been this reckless, this careless? Did he really not give a fuck about anything? How could she not have seen it before? The Joker watched her expression, and seemed to read her mind.

"Don't think you're any better than me, honey. You've stolen, you've sat back and watched me work. You've killed, you _liked _it." Jenny didn't answer. He was right. He grinned before grabbing his gun. "Watch it on the news. Should be interes-_ting_."

* * *

Her head was pounding. She couldn't get the Joker's comments out of her head. And she was slowly realising that she was as unpredictable as Joseph himself. She _had _stolen, and she still did. She _had _killed people, and didn't really dwell on it. She was the same as the Joker, but on a smaller scale. She had no right to judge him. Right now she was confused. Confused and angry and anxious. As soon as the Joker left she had grabbed a hooded jacket, ran out of the apartment and joined the bustling crowds lining the streets for the mayor's walk through the city. No one looked twice at her, no one recognised her. They were all too concerned with the Joker's threat. She moved as close as she could, only seeing a fraction of the stage from where she was. The bagpipes echoed off the buildings, and Jenny noticed snipers staged at regular intervals in windows and on rooftops. She couldn't see any sign of the Joker. The procession stopped and the mayor, along with other officials including Dent, made their way onto the stage. The mayor began talking, but Jenny wasn't paying attention. She looked around. Where was he? She couldn't see him, his suit, his makeup. She remembered what he'd said that morning.

_"I've got a uniform.. waiting to be picked up."_

She eyed the snipers, the police lining the streets, and the ranks of officers standing in front of the stage. Her heart was in her mouth. What was she here for? She couldn't stop him..

"- that vigilance is the price of safety." The mayor stepped back, and the honour guard took their positions, ther captain shouting out instructions. Jenny watched, flinching at the sound of the guns. The buildings caused everything to sound ten times louder than normal. Someone moved further forward and pushed into her, causing her hood to fall back. The man turned to say sorry and saw her face. His eyes widened. A second shot rang out. The man made a grab for her and she ducked through the crowd, moving further forward until the crowd was behind her and the honour guard was in front. She caught a glimpse of a thin man with pointy features, and a grinning, scarred face before the crowd screamed. Jenny watched as the Joker turned his gun and aimed at the mayor. Gordon leapt forward, knocking Garcia aside. Jenny felt her blood run cold and darted forwards. The Joker cursed, grabbed Jenny's arm and dragged her away. She heard more screaming, more shots behind her and felt as though she was floating outside her body. The route became a blur as the Joker sprinted through a maze of alleys and empty streets. She couldn't tell if anyone was following them. After what seemed like hours the Joker turned her by the arm and pinned her against the wall violently.

"Why were you there?" He asked roughly.

"I don't know," she answered, ignoring the searing pain in her back from where it had slammed against the bricks. He didn't look angry, he looked manic. He looked at her and grinned.

"Not what I expected to happen."

"No, you expected brains and blood flying in all directions."

"Yeah." His grip was cutting off the circulation to her wrists. "I killed one. Not a complete _loss_, then." Jenny remembered Gordon pushing Garcia aside, and felt sick. The Joker, his eyes still bright with adrenaline crushed his lips to hers. It was rough and desperate, but Jenny didn't return the kiss with the same emotion. She kissed him back slowly, feeling his teeth bite into her bottom lip. He moved back, realising she wasn't kissing him with the same fervour. "Hmm, still hung up on Scary." He tutted, grinning at her. "They won't have followed us this far. Don't worry about getting _caught_." With a wave he sloped off, disappearing into the shadow of a building.

* * *

Her mind raced and she stood there, going over the events in her head. Over and over again. She didn't notice the sun reach its highest point, or when it disappeared behind the roof of a building. The city became shrouded in darkness, and Jenny snapped out of her thoughts. How long had she been standing there? She crept through the alleys, wondering where the hell she was. She hadn't been paying attention when the Joker was dragging her away from the mayor. After a while she saw the glistening of water, and realised she'd reached the docks. She didn't feel like going back to the apartment. Schiff hadn't run off with them. For all she knew they had captured him, and he had told them everything. She couldn't risk it tonight. She scaled an empty warehouse and perched on the edge of the roof, looking down into the water below. She heard a slight rustle behind her and turned her head to see the Batman standing over her.

"Did you follow me?" she asked accusingly, turning her head back to the water.

"Yes." She'd forgotten how gravelly his voice was. "Did you know what the Joker was planning?"

She turned fully this time and the Batman took a step back to see her properly. "No more than you guys."

"Why were you there?"

"I don't know.. to see what he was going to do, I guess."

"The news is talking about your sighting, saying you're working with him. That you were involved, that you helped him plan this."

"That's bullshit," she said, angry but understanding how it could look that way.

"I know. You should get away from him."

"Why do you care? Shouldn't you be taking me to the MCU? Handing me over to Harvey Dent?"

"I don't believe you are truly a criminal."

"Why?" Tears were forming in her eyes now. After suddenly questioning everything the Joker was doing she couldn't believe that there was someone who truly wanted to help her.

"You were framed, had to cope with being in Arkham, got dragged into an escape.. everything you've done was only what was necessary."

"I don't- why do you want to help me so bad?"

"Because I know what it's like to be alone. To do whatever is necessary to survive."

Jenny looked at him, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. "Thomas Schiff.. he knows where me and-" she stopped wondering whether she should tell the Batman that Schiff knew where the Joker was. He wouldn't help her then, he'd let the police talk to him and uncover the location. "He knows where I've been hanging out lately. If he talks-"

"He won't. He's a paranoid schizophrenic, and has an unstable memory. He won't remember anything."

"Where is he?"

"Not sure. I think Dent has him. I'll be going there after this."

Jenny watched him, and knew what he wanted. He wanted her to go with him. "I don't hate the Joker.. what he's doing is wrong, but I _can't _hate him. He helped me."

"He's going to drag you under. One day Jennifer, he's going to do something that will make you hate him, and by then it'll be too late."

"Thanks, but I can work this out on my own." She wiped the tears from her eyes and heard Batman sigh.

"I won't be here when you need me."

"What do you mean?"

"Enough people have died because of me."

".. You're giving up?" She jumped up. "You _can't_."

"I have to. The Joker will keep killing. Loeb and Cerillo yesterday. Gordon today. Who will it be tomorrow? I have to give myself in." His determined eyes searched her frightened ones, before he turned, jumped off the roof and moved out of sight.

* * *

She returned home the next morning, shadows under her eyes and her hair dishevelled. There were a group of men, dressed in dark clothing, sorting through a pile of guns on the coffee table. The Joker was leaning against the wall. He looked up as she entered.

"You look _pretty_," he said. Jenny stared at the men and looked back to the Joker. "What's going on?"

"Haven't you heard? The, uh, _Batman_ has turned himself in."

Jenny looked at him. _He really did it. _"He _what_?"

"Dent announced it half an hour ago, honey." He took in her appearance. "Where have you been?"

"Out." She sat on the couch, staring at the guns. "So, what, you're going to kill him?"

"Not quite." She didn't appreciate the ambiguous answer. She noticed one of the men glance at her from the corner of his eye. She gave him a look of pure loathing and turned to the Joker. He smiled.

"The news was talking about your sighting yesterday. They think you helped plan the attack. Typical, really. I never get full credit.."

"Who's the Batman?" She asked him. He giggled at that.

"Dent.. apparent-_ly_."

"_Harvey _Dent? Bullshit."

"Exactly."

She thought about it. There was no way. She'd spoken with the Batman. He and Dent may want the same things but there was no way he was dressing up as a bat every night. He was the DA, he didn't need to put a costume on. Why did he say he was the Batman, then? She didn't understand it. One of the men, large with a green hooded jacket, groaned and grabbed his stomach. She glanced at him, and raised her eyebrows at the Joker. He grinned at her, a knowing smile. "He has a phone in his appendix." Jenny looked at him. What the hell did that mean?

"So what exactly are you planning?"

"Dent is being moved tonight. We're gonna give him a little, uh, going-away present, and coax the little _Bat _out of his hole-"

"Is that a _bazuka_?" She interrupted, staring at the weapon propped against the table.

"Yes." The Joker answered, as though it was perfectly normal to have a bazuka in the apartment.

* * *

For the rest of the day she watched the men sort out the weapons, moving things into the apartment, and down to what she presumed was a vehicle of some sort. She waited until no one was looking and slipped one of the guns into her jacket. She watched the Joker who remained against the wall, apparently satisifed with what the men were doing. She couldn't understand why Dent had told people that he was the Batman. What would it achieve? The only conclusion she could come to was that he knew that the Batman would help him. Why hadn't the real Batman come forward and put things straight? She hoped he had a plan. As the sun went down one of the men came up and murmured something to the Joker. He looked pleased and said, "Set it on fire." The man nodded and left again. The room became darker and darker, and eventually all of the men, and the weapons, were gone. The Joker finally moved. His hair covered his eyes but she could tell that he was excited. He was humming a tune as he passed her.

"Don't kill him," she said, as he reached the door. He didn't ask if she meant Dent or Batman, he didn't even stop.

* * *

As time went on she stared out of the window, wondering where the Joker was now. Wondering where Batman was, and whether he was going to get there in time to save Dent. The time reached 11 and she turned the television on, unable to take any more. Mike Engel was looking serious and she dreaded what he was going to say.

_"Welcome back, tonight's main story: The criminal mastermind known as 'The Joker' has been apprehended near downtown Gotham after a car chase involving two SWAT teams. Harvey Dent was being transferred to a high-security facility after stating that he was the Batman. Eye-witnesses claim that this was a ruse and the real Batman intervened and helped capture the Joker. He's now being held at the MCU. James Gordon, believed to be dead, until this evening, has assured the public that they have the situation under control. Jennifer Aiken, seen yesterday at Commissioner Loeb's memorial service has not been found, despite authorities claiming that Aiken had indeed been working with the Joker. More on this after the break."_

She felt her heart rise. So Dent was still alive, the Batman was still alive, and James Gordon was back from the dead. As much as she hated high-authority figures she couldn't help but feel relieved. The Joker was still alive. That was beyond remarkable, after what he had planned. Now he was in the MCU, what was going to happen next? She jumped up, making a decision, and left.

It was after midnight by the time she got to the MCU, but the building was still lit up with activity. She made her way to the back of the building, and almost screamed as she bumped into the Batman. He eyed her, a confused expression visible on his face.

"You shouldn't be here," he said, stating the obvious.

"I have to see him."

"The Joker?" She nodded. "You can't. He's in the interrogation room. You'll never get in unseen. Do you think he'll give you up?"

"No," she said, quickly. She knew that, no matter what happened, he would never give her up, even if it was just for the joy of watching the police department get more frustrated. "Why are you here?"

"Gordon asked me to come."

"You're going to kill him?"

"I don't kill people."

"Can you give him a message?" She asked warily.

"Yes. What message?"

"Tell him 'stop'. This has gone on for too long. He needs to stop."

The Batman locked eyes with her and nodded. "I'll tell him. You should go."

"Where? It isn't safe to go back to where I'm staying. I'm not taking any chances. He could let something slip."

"Right. Keep out of sight." She nodded as he slipped through the door.

* * *

Half an hour later she heard shouts coming from the front of the building. She kept in the shadows but crept forwards enough to see the front doors. The Batman sprinted out, almost flying, with Gordon hot on his heels. A huge surge of officers followed them, running to their cars. The Batman jumped onto his bike, growled something at Gordon, and sped away. Gordon spun round and ran to a car.

"We're getting Dent! 250 52nd street!" He yelled. The car sirens echoed and they sped away.

_Dent_.. She had a sinking feeling. What had Joseph done? She waited until the sirens had faded away before steeling herself and walking straight in through the front door. She was very aware of the gun in her jacket as she made her way through the empty lobby. She heard shouting to her left and crept into the back of a long room. At the front the Joker was holding a small knife to the throat of a man. He'd removed his jacket. There were a dozen officers, with their backs to Jenny, all holding guns.

"It's my own damn fault, just shoot him!" The man shouted over the officers.

"What do you want? What?" One of the officers shouted.

The Joker looked at them. "I just want my phone call."

Jenny could feel her heart in her throat. She crept forwards, still not sure what she was going to do. Who was he going to call? He held his free hand out for the phone, and he noticed Jenny stood at the back. He grinned and jerked his head slightly, indicating that she should come closer. He punched in a number, and threw the phone aside. The Joker threw the man forwards, and he landed on his knees, choking. Jenny remembered the man in their apartment_. "He has a phone in his appendix." _A huge noise sounded behind her, and she felt a gust of wind on her face. She ran forwards, hearing shouts and screams, and jumped to the Joker who seemed completely unperturbed. She felt boiling air on her face and felt rubble hit her. Her ears throbbed and all she could hear was a high-pitched whistling. She looked behind her, seeing only a huge wreckage where a dozen police officers had been only moments before.

"What- _what the fuck_?" she gasped, dust falling from her hair. The Joker looked at her, before grabbing a ring of keys and moving into another room. She followed, seeing a small Chinese man sat frightened in a cell. _That must be Lau.. _The Joker jangled the keys.

"Hello there."

He opened the gate and dragged him out, ignoring his pleading. They made their way to the back of the building, where half of the parking lot was covered in huge blocks of rubble. He dragged Lau to the back, standing at the door of a car. He threw Jenny the keys and she got in without a word. As she sped through the streets of Gotham, looking at the smoke rising from the destroyed buildings- the MCU and two others, she wondered what the hell was going to happen next. She'd put the sirens on, knowing that the streets would clear of vehicles faster that way. The speedometer showed that she was going over 120. Buildings blurred past and she almost crashed into a cab as her frightened mind worked on overdrive. She looked in the rear-view mirror and saw the Joker holding himself out of the window, his green hair pushed behind him and his tongue methodically darting out to his lips as he enjoyed the speed.

* * *

Man, oh man. I love the MCU scene. This chapter is up a lot quicker than I thought it would be. I hope you enjoy it :) Once again, thanks so much for reading, reviewing, following and favouriting. I love you all!

**TCStark:** Aye, he always has something planned. I wouldn't know what the hell to do in those situations :')


	26. Chapter 26 Nigma

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

"What do we do now?" Jenny asked quietly as they sat on the couch. "What the _fuck _do we do now?"

"Calm down beau-ti-ful, everything's going according to the plan."

"You don't have a plan! You do something completely different every bloody day! Now you're blowing up police stations?!" The Joker watched her. Her eyes were wide with fright and anger. The night had taken its toll on her.

"You didn't seem focused on _stopping _me, _sweetie_." He said, his voice dripping with venom.

"I didn't know what you had planned! What if that explosion had been a few feet closer? You could've killed us!" She hissed, her voice getting louder. "You keep putting us at risk, running around during the day.. and bringing Schiff _here_- what if he had told the cops where we were?" She could see he was getting angry, but her emotions were spilling out now. "You don't care about what happens to us. It's a wonder we're not dead! You're fucking _crazy_!" As soon as she said it she knew she shouldn't have. Even without the Joker's reaction she knew that calling him 'crazy' was not the right move. She hated anyone calling her crazy. The Joker's eyes flashed and he lunged at her. She tried to fight him off as he grabbed her arms, and they fell off the couch onto the floor. Jenny hit her head against the coffee table and was momentarily dazed. She didn't notice the sharp blade that was pressed to her throat. The Joker's face was inches from her own, his scars even more grotesque from this angle.

"I'm _not _crazy," he hissed. "You were nothing when I found you. I made you beautiful. You _kill _people now, you see what the, ah, _world _is really like. After what you've seen, how the fuck can you say I'm the crazy one?" Jenny didn't answer. She knew one wrong word could end her life. "I helped you escape, you and your precious Scarecrow. I don't appreciate this repayment." He removed the blade, standing up. "You're not here against your will, sweetie. If you want to leave then do it." He left without another word.

Jenny felt her neck, seeing a small smear of blood on her fingers from where the blade had cut her. She knew she had to leave, the Joker had almost killed her. It was too dangerous, especially now with the police more determined than ever to find her. But where could she go? Silently she grabbed a duffel bag that she used for robberies, packed it with a few weapons and essential clothing and looked around one last time before leaving.

* * *

She knew who she needed to find- the Batman, but she had not idea where he could be. She had no other friends, no one to turn to. Crane was gone, the Joker was lost to her, the police thought she was a criminal mastermind working with the Joker. What did she have left? She wandered for hours, finding a bar and steeling herself before entering. She was in the Narrows, they were all criminals here. No one would bother her- and, in the mood that she was in, if someone _did _bother her she'd make an example of them. She didn't notice how much she sounded like the Joker. Instead she took a seat at the bar and ordered a shot. She could feel eyes on her, but ignored them as she gradually became more and more intoxicated. After an hour her mood had been lifted slightly. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned, expecting trouble, but instead being greeted by bright orange hair and a wide smile. For a second she was confused, before recognition hit her.

"_Edward_?" she asked incredulously. His smile grew wider and he took the seat next to her.

"Jennifer." She looked at him. He looked thinner, but his hair was still as bright, and he looked more comfortable in his green jacket than he did in the orange jumpsuit. "You've done quite a lot since I saw you last."

"Yeah.." She answered, still shocked to see him.

"Yeah. Escaping, without me? I'm hurt." His expression gave away how amused he really was.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think it'd really work and if there were loads of us.."

"Relax. I'm joking." He said, but his smile faded at her serious expression.

"When did you get out?" she asked.

"Last week. Good behaviour." He winked. "But seriously," he leaned closer, "You're not safe here, you know that right? You've killed people, you've been hanging out with the Joker.. not to mention you've robbed millions of dollars." He noticed Jenny's shocked expression. "Come on gorgeous. You guys escape, and suddenly jewelry stores are being robbed? It was too easy."

She gave a small smile. She should've known she couldn't hide anything from Edward. After another drink she tried to explain as much as she could, leaving out the more intimate moments that had occurred since her escape. When she was finished he let out a small whistle. "You're really been busy.. So you're not really called Jennifer?" She shook her head. "What's your name?"

"It's not important. Call me Jennifer," she answered, not wanting to take the name that had been stolen from her.

"..What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know," Jenny said quietly. "I have nowhere to go, no one to go to, and the cops.." She trailed off, realising just how dire her situation was.

"The cops think you're in on it. It's all over the news. They're calling you an 'orchestrator' of the explosions."

"How many explosions were there?" Jenny asked, remembering the smoke rising from different parts of the city as she drove away.

"Three. the MCU and two old warehouses. Dent was in one, his girlfriend in another. She died, he's in hospital." He watched her reaction. She drained her drink and looked at him.

"I didn't know. I didn't know what he was doing. I should've- I saw the video, I should've told him to stop then. _Before _then. I just.. I didn't think."

"I believe you," Edward said softly. "But the cops won't. Dent's in bad shape- they're spitting blood."

"What about the Batman?"

"Found Dent himself."

She stared at a burn mark in the table. The police were right. She hadn't rigged the charges, but she must've known. Deep down, she must've realised what the Joker was truly capable of. How could she have been so stupid? How many people were dead because of her? She wiped her tears away roughly. Edward grabbed her hand.

"You're staying at mine tonight. Don't bother saying no. You need rest. I've got a feeling this isn't over." She didn't bother trying to protest, grabbing her bag and following him out of the bar. They walked a complicated route before reaching a building similar to the Joker's. When they reached Edward's apartment she thanked him.

"No problem Aiken, anything for an old asylum buddy."

* * *

She didn't wake until well past midday. It was the most rest she'd had in months. Edward greeted her in the kitchen.

"Ah, the sleeping beauty awakens," he smiled, sliding her a cup of coffee. She felt his gaze on her as she took a sip.

"What's wrong?" she asked. He looked away and became busy organising his cereals. "Nothing."

"Edward?"

He hesitated and sighed. "I heard a rumour this morning."

"What rumour?"

"Mansur, that guy you mentioned last night, apparently he's out in the open."

She almost spilled her coffee. "What? How do you know?"

"I have contacts." He turned to her again. "Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't go to him. It won't solve anything."

"It'll make me feel better," she smiled wryly.

"Jennifer. You need to lay low. The cops want you _dead_ for what they think you did to Dent. The whole city does."

"I'll lay low when this is over with. Where is he?" She asked, running into the bedroom and finding the gun at the bottom of her bag.

"Jennifer-"

"Where is he?" She asked as she returned.

He paused. "The docks. Jennifer-"

She hugged him and left, hearing him shout "Wait!" behind her.

* * *

When she reached the docks she saw three sleek black cars parked outside a red building. Slipping through the door she saw a large group of people stood near the door, looking at Mansur and his men in the middle. The Joker was sliding down a huge pile of money, where Lau was perched- tied up. She wondered at the scene for a moment, before hiding behind a large crate. Could she shoot Mansur in front of all of these men? After leaving the Joker she couldn't imagine him helping her or protecting her anymore. She heard them arguing, and cocked her gun. She had to try. It was Mansur's fault for Crane's arrest. She _had _to get revenge. She watched as the Joker set the money on fire and knew it was now or never. She jumped up, gripping the gun so hard the metal was almost cutting into her hand, and walked forward, standing in front of Mansur. The men looked at her in shock, apparently not realising where she had come from. She pointed the gun at Mansur.

"What is this?" he asked amusedly, his voice thick with an accent.

"Jonathan Crane. You met him and Batman caught him, _right_?" She tried to keep her voice calm.

"The Scarecrow?" The Chechen chuckled. "You know him? The boy was stupid. Got himself caught."

"Bullshit. You were there. You _ran away_. Now he's in Blackgate and you're waltzing around without a care in the world, you fucking bastard."

She didn't see Mansur's men slowly taking out their guns until it was almost too late. Mansur darted forward and she pulled the trigger, missing him by inches. Everything happened at once. The Joker cackled manically and grabbed Mansur, slitting his throat before he could shout. His men began shooting, aiming for both Jenny and the Joker. Jenny saw a burly man aiming his gun and stumbled backwards. The men were spreading out, becoming engaged in one-on-one fights. The Joker grabbed a gun from a body, aiming it at the throng of Mansur's men who were stood in front of the door. She cursed, pointing her gun toward them too, shutting her eyes and pulling the trigger as someone shouted her name and the Joker pulled his trigger too. The two shots seemed louder than the others. The room seemed brighter than it had been a moment ago. She opened her eyes and looked at Edward stood in the doorway of the building. His eyes were wide. For a moment she thought he was going to help her. But he didn't move, and that's when Jenny realised what had happened. A large red stain soaked through his shirt and he grabbed his stomach, falling to the floor. She screamed, not noticing the firefight going on around her, and sprinted, reaching Edward moments after he hit the floor.

"No, no, no," she whispered in shock, watching as his shaking body slowly froze in place. She turned and saw the Joker push one of Mansur's men onto the flames that had already engulfed Lau. Suddenly it all seemed ridiculous. Tears fell freely from her eyes. She looked back down at Edward, already seeming cold and left the men to their gun battle.

* * *

Poor Edward :( Another quick update today, hope you enjoy it :) I know that this has turned into more of a Joker/OC situation than a Crane/OC situation, which wasn't my original intention haha. But I promise that Crane will be in the next chapter, and thanks to TC Stark in advance for the inspiration :D Thanks for reading and please review :)

**TC Stark: **Thanks so much :D Yeah living with the Joker is no picnic, as Jenny has discovered a little too late haha. And thanks for the advice, I'm definitely going to do something along those lines in the next chapter. I've missed Crane, he's been gone for a lot longer than I originally planned haha.


	27. Chapter 27 Showdown

**Where Is My Mind?**

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

_"Welcome back to GCN. In a few minutes we'll be speaking to Coleman Reese about his stunning revelation. But, for now, back to our main story: Police are doubling their search grids today in the hunt for the criminals Jennifer Aiken and the Joker. They were last seen together at the memorial service held for Commissioner Loeb, when their plan to assassinate Mayor Garcia failed. Since that incident the two have been involved in a number of killings, including that of Rachel Dawes, an assistant DA. Harvey Dent is currently in hospital, recovering from his injuries. And, of course, we all wish him a speedy recovery. Let's talk now to Detective Wilson from the Gotham Police Department. Detective Wilson what can you tell us about the two criminals who are fast becoming the most dangerous that Gotham has seen in a long time?_

_-Well Mike I think the pair are extremely methodical. They seem to plan things far in advance. It's important to stress that the pair are dangerous, and people should stay away from Gotham's most popular areas until they are apprehended._

_-Are you close to an arrest?_

_-We have yet to find where the pair have been hiding, but they are moving around more and more as time goes on; their crimes becoming more widespread. This suggests to us that they're becoming scared of being captured, and when people are scared they are more likely to make mistakes._

_-How sure are you that the pair are still together?_

_- We're very confident of this. They escaped Arkham asylum together, along with Jonathan Crane, and have been seen together on a number of ocassions, more recently driving away from the MCU on the night of the explosions. We believe that they may be involved in some sort of sexual relationship-"_

Crane snorted. Another testament to the stupidity of the Gotham Police Department. Jennifer would never fuck the Joker... He moved to the other side of the room, hoping to get away from the sounds of the television. He had enjoyed watching it when he'd first arrived. The guards hated him, so no one would answer his questions.

Had Jennifer Aiken been found?

Where was the Joker?

What have they done now?

No one answered him, and he found himself pacing his cell frustrated that he didn't know where she was. After a few weeks he was allowed to the rec room, and spent every day watching the news, hoping for some indication that Jennifer was still alive and free. He told himself that he didn't care, but he still felt relieved whenever the anchor named her as a wanted suspect. With nothing else to distract him it was getting harder and harder to block out Scarecrow's voice. He seemed to be growing more calculating and angry as time wore on. He was convinced that Jennifer didn't care about him.

_**She doesn't.**_

_She cares._

_**Just because you fucked her? Poor, poor Johnny boy. Just because she wanted you to fuck her doesn't mean she cares about you. Do you care about her?**_

_Of course I don't._

_**Stop wasting your time on her, Johnny boy. She's a whore, who fucked you because you were THERE. Now she's fucking the Joker. They're walking around like Bonnie and Clyde while we rot in here. **_

_I fucked her because she was there, not the other way around._

_**They've abandoned you. SHE'S abandoned you.**_

_She's done no such thing. She can't exactly come for a visit, can she?_

_**She should be breaking us out. Sending us a cake with a file in it. Not blowing up buildings and killing people. Although, I do love a girl that can handle a gun.**_

_She won't forget us. She was infatuated. She'll come for us._

_**Putting a lot of faith into that whore, aren't you, Johnny? Are you in love?**_

_There's no way she'd forget us. She needs us. She can't handle the Joker alone._

_**Ooh, I don't know about that. She's strong. They'd make a good couple.**_

Jonathan blocked him out angrily. He didn't care for Jennifer. He didn't. They'd _lived _together, that's the only reason they were so close. But the thought of her with the Joker didn't fill him with any joy. He remembered how he had felt when Jennifer and the Joker had kissed, the night of the breakout. He didn't care now, of course, but he'd felt devastated then- as he watched them. Maybe Scarecrow was right, she didn't exactly fight the Joker off that night.. Surely she would've sent some sort of message to him? Had she forgotten him already? She was strong, he knew that. But she couldn't handle the Joker. From the look of the news he was spiralling further and further out of control.. and she was right there with him. Blowing up buildings, burning people alive if the report an hour ago could be believed. That wasn't the Jennifer he knew. Had she changed that much? He clenched his jaw. Yet another girl that had rejected him. They always did. Every girl he'd ever liked had laughed at him, pushed him away. Now Jennifer, his Jennifer, was doing the same thing. No, she wasn't _his_. Not anymore. Scarecrow was right. She had moved on. He didn't need her. He had Scarecrow. That's all he needed.

* * *

"I don't want there to be any hard feelings between us, Harvey." The Joker said, sat next to his hospital bed. Dent shook with anger, his face burning but right now all he could think about was the murderer in front of him.

"When you and Rachel were being abducted I was sitting in Gordon's cage. I didn't rig those charges-"

"Your plan. Your little girlfriend-"

"She's not my _girlfriend_. And do I really look like a guy with a plan, Harvey? I don't have a plan...The mob has plans, the cops have plans. You know what I am, Harvey?" Dent was trembling. "I'm a dog chasing cars... I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. I just _do_ things. I'm just the wrench in the gears. I hate plans. Yours, _theirs_, everyone's. Maroni has plans. Gordon has plans. Schemers trying to control their little worlds. I'm not a schemer, I show the schemers how pathetic their attempts to control things really are. So when I say that you and your girlfriend was nothing personal," he grabbed Dent's hand in a mocking reassuring gesture, "you know I'm telling the truth..." He pulled a pistol from his pocket and gave it to Dent, who grabbed it tightly and held it to the Joker's head. He reached for the coin that Gordon had left on the side. He showed the Joker the clean side.

"You live," he hissed, and turned it over to reveal the burned side, "you die."

The Joker grinned. "Now we're talking."

* * *

She sat curled up in the alley, flinching whenever a police car sped by with the sirens blaring. She'd been there for an hour, and wasn't sure what was going on. The last she'd heard the Joker was threatening to blow up a hospital. She didn't dare leave the alley in fear of someone seeing her. Everyone knew her face now. Everyone was looking for her. She didn't know what to do. Edward was dead. The thought made her choke back a sob. She still didn't know who had shot him- the Joker or herself, but it was her fault that he was there anyway; looking for her. Another body to add to the ever-increasing count. She wished she could see Crane. More than anything. He'd know what to do, or at least where they could go to hide. She realised she was shaking. No cars had passed her in a while. She stood cautiously, barely walking two steps when she heard the largest explosion she'd ever heard. Through the buildings she saw a huge ball of flame, and a wave of smoke. Gotham General. _He's really done it. _Another crime that would be blamed partly on her. She could give herself in. Maybe she'd be sent to Blackgate. She could find Crane.. No. She was here because she had escaped from one institution, she didn't want to end up in another. She heard a gunshot echo from a bar around the corner, and quickly sprinted away.

* * *

The Joker had released a new video. Jenny had heard about it via the news. She'd crept back to Edward's apartment to collect her bag, and had seen the video with her own eyes. He was claiming the city for his own, and telling everyone who didn't want to be there to 'get out now'. He'd threatened the bridge and tunnel crowds. She knew that would scare everyone into staying. The only way out of Gotham now was by the ferries, and there were nowhere near enough to transport everyone to safety in time. She rounded a corner and crashed into the Batman.

"_Fuck_," she gasped, stumbling back.

"You should've left," he rasped.

She noticed his motorbike-type vehicle behind him. "I have nowhere else to go."

"Where is the Joker?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I left him."

"I said he'd get worse."

"Now's really not the time for 'I told you so', Bat," she snapped. She heard a voice coming from his suit.

_"Tonight, you're all going to be part of a social experiment."_

"Is that him?" she gasped.

_"I'm zeroing in," _another voice said.

"Who's that?" she asked.

"Lucius," he said, holding up a hand to tell her to be quiet.

_"Through the magic of diesel fuel and ammonium nitrate, I'm ready right now to blow you all sky high. Anyone attempts to get off their boat, you all die..."_

_"His voice is on the ferry, but that's not the source..." _The man called Lucius was saying.

"Do you have a location on the Joker?" Batman asked into his mask.

_"It's west.." _Batman spun around and jumped onto his bike. With a second's hesitation she grabbed onto his arm and swung herself on behind him. He didn't question it. They sped through the streets. Jenny had to clench her eyes shut as the wind caused them to water. She tried to hear the Joker's voice over the sound of the bike.

_"But we're going to make things a little more interesting than that. Tonight, we're going to learn a little bit about ourselves...There's no need for all of you to die. That would be a waste. So I've __left you both a little present. Each of you has a remote to blow up the other boat. At midnight, I blow you all up. If, however, one of you presses the button, I'll let that boat live. You choose. So who's it going to be- Harvey Dent's most wanted scum-bag collection... or the sweet innocent civilians? Oh, and you might want to decide quickly, because the people on the other boat may not be quite so noble."_

Jenny kept her eyes closed tight, trying not to think about what could happen if the Batman didn't find the Joker in time. Lucius found the location, however, and the Batman called Commissioner Gordon, telling him to assemble his cops opposite the Prewitt building. Before Batman had fully stopped the bike Jenny jumped off, running for the building with Gordon's cops.

"Jennifer!" she heard Batman shout. She didn't listen. She reached the roof, breathless, to see Batman stood in front of her.

"I could've brought you up-"

"Shut up," she said, not meaning to sound so blunt as she pushed past him. Gordon turned at the voices and his eyes widened. He pointed his gun.

"Get down! Get down now!" he yelled. Other cops turned and spotted her, quickly aiming their weapons. Batman ran forward.

"No! She's okay!"

"She's a killer!" Gordon shouted.

"She's on our side!" They didn't wait for Gordon to answer, and both moved to the edge of the building, looking out to the Prewitt building.

"It's a shooting gallery," Gordon explained, still eyeing Jenny warily. "Why'd he choose a spot with such big windows?"

"He likes the view," Batman rasped.

"No," Jenny said quietly. "That's not it." She looked at the hostages huddled together in the centre of the room. Why _did _he choose such big windows?

The SWAT leader looked at them. "We have clear shots on five clowns. Snipers take them out, smash the windows- a team rappels in, a team moves in by the stairwells. 2 or 3 or three casualties, max."

Gordon paused. "Let's do it."

"It's not that simple," Jenny informed him. "With the Joker, it never is."

Gordon looked at her. "What's _simple, _is that every second we don't take him, those people on the ferries get closer to blowing each other up!"

"That won't happen," Batman put in.

"Then _he'll _blow them _both _up! There's no time- we have to go in now-

"There's always a catch with him-" Jenny started, noticing how angry and frustrated Gordon was getting.

"That's why we can't wait- we can't play his games-

"I need five minutes. Alone-" Batman said.

"No! There's no time. We have clear shots!" Gordon pulled his gun. "Dent's in there with them. We have to save Dent! _I_ have to save Dent!" Batman jumped off the roof, gliding towards the Prewitt building. Jenny watched him go before coming to a decision.

* * *

She ran back to the roof door, speeding down as fast as she could and reaching the bottom. She sprinted to the Prewitt building, knowing that entering through the front door would mean a slight case of bullet to the chest. She saw the metal frame that stuck out from the building and used her skills as a jewelry thief to scale the building as fast as she could. She could hear bangs and gunshots from above her, and a smash sent glass falling around her.

When she reached the right floor she saw SWAT teams tying up the hostages. _What?_ Then she noticed the tape wrapped around the hands of the clowns. Suddenly she understood. She pulled herself in and ran towards the shouting. She saw the Batman stood looking at the Joker who was staring him down defiantly. He giggled as he saw her step out from behind the Batman.

"You came. I'm touched," he laughed.

"You've gone too far," she said quietly, seeing the lights of the two ferries on the river behind him.

"I haven't gone far enough," he grinned.

Batman lunged at him and the two of them fought across the floor. The Joker grabbed a thick metal pipe and swung it into Batman, sending him flying backwards through glass. The Joker kicked out a wooden brace holding a metal frame in place and laughed as it collapsed onto the Batman.

"Stop!" Jenny shouted, punching him in the jaw as he turned to her. They moved back across the floor, punching, grabbing, kicking and dodging. Jenny had never been more grateful for the times she spent fighting him in the apartment. Finally he spat out blood laughing.

"You're stronger now," he said, kicking her hard. "Aren't you grateful?" He blocked a punch and grabbed her hair, yanking her head hard onto his knee. "If we don't stop fighting we'll miss the fireworks."

"There won't be any fireworks," Batman growled behind them. He nodded to a clock which showed that it was midnight. "What were you hoping to prove? That deep down, we're all as ugly as you?"

The Joker looked at the clock as his grin faded. Jenny watched from the floor, feeling her leg throb beneath her as blood dripped from her nose.

"You're alone," Batman rasped. The Joker jumped at him, sending him flying onto a construction platform. The Batman fell, gripping onto the side as he hung above the floor fifty feet below. The Joker showed him the remote.

"Can't rely on anyone these days," he muttered to himself, looking back at Jenny who was struggling to stand. "Have to do everything yourself. _Don't we_? It's a funny world we live in.. speaking of which, you know how I got these scars?"

"No, but I know how you got these," the Batman rasped. The spikes on his gauntlet shot out and cut the Joker's face. He staggered back. Batman pulled himself up, knocked the Joker over the edge and disarmed the remote. Jenny pulled herself forward, struggling up onto her feet as the Joker's laughing became quieter and quieter. Batman growled and fired something down to the Joker's falling body. A few moments later he appeared, upside down as the Batman secured the rope.

"Oh, you just couldn't let me go, could you?" he grinned breathlessly as he swung. "I guess this is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You truly are incorruptible, aren't you? You won't kill me out of some, ah, misplaced sense of selfrighteousness... and I won't kill you because you're too much _fun_. I think we're destined to do this forever."

"You'll be in a padded cell, forever."

"I've tried that before. It didn't work out." He laughed as he saw Jenny holding onto a metal pipe to keep herself standing. "Your little friend will be going exactly the same way as me. Isn't she glorious? I did that."

"She's not going anywhere with you. You'll be in a padded cell, and she's keeping away from you."

"Maybe we could _share_. We'll have to double up the rate this city's inhabitants are, ah, losing their minds."

"This city just showed you it's full of people ready to believe in good."

The Joker looked at them. There was a twinkle in his eye. "Till their spirit _breaks _completely. Until they find out what I did to the _best _of them. Until they get a good look at the real Harvey Dent, and all the heroic things he's done." He pointed to the ferry. "Then those criminals will be straight back onto the streets and Gotham will understand the true nature of heroism."

He saw Jenny's expression. "You didn't think I'd risk losing the battle for the _soul _of Gotham in a fist fight with you? You've got to have an ace in the hole. Mine's _Harvey_."

"What did you do?" she asked.

"I took Gotham's white knight. And I brought him down to my level. It wasn't hard- madness is like gravity. All it takes is a little _push." _He laughed manically. The batman growled and turned away, taking Jenny's arm and helping her walk. She turned to take one last look at Joseph, the man she had lived with, the man who had helped her learn skills to survive in Gotham. He winked at her as they rounded a corner and disappeared.

"What are you going to do?" Jenny asked as she sat behind Batman on his bike, wincing at the pain in her leg. "Where will he be?"

"250 52nd street," Batman growled quietly.

They pulled up beside the burned out shell of the building and the Batman quickly climbed to the first floor where voices were echoing. Jenny waited for a noise, a thud or a gunshot, but there was nothing. Then a scream, and a crash, and a shadow fell in front of her. She saw Dent, half of his face burned down to nothing- his neck broken. Batman was hanging from the hole, a small boy falling from his grasp. Jenny ran forward, screaming at her leg, and caught the boy just in time, both falling to the floor as the Batman landed hard next to them.

Gordon ran down, his hair wild and his glasses askew. He grabbed his son and looked at Dent.

"The Joker won. Harvey's prosecution, everything he fought for, everything Rachel died for. Undone. Whatever chance Gotham had of fixing itself... whatever chance you gave us of fixing our city... dies with Harvey's reputation. We bet it all on him. The Joker took the best of us and tore him down. People will lose all hope." Jenny shifted uncomfortably, knowing just how much she was responsible for too.

"No. They won't," Batman said. Jenny and Gordon looked at him. "They can never know what he did. The Joker cannot win.. Gotham needs its true hero."

Gordon looked at Jenny, both of them understanding.

"You?" Gordon asked Batman. "You can't-"

"Yes, I can. You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. I can do those things because I'm not a hero, like Dent. I killed those people. That's what I can be.

Jenny moved to him. "You can't do this. I can take the fall."

"No. You're not a villain. You're not having more deaths pinned to you."

"You can't" Gordon said angrily. "You're not!"

Batman turned to Gordon. "I'm whatever Gotham needs me to be." Gordon was speechless. Jenny grabbed Batman's arm. "Please don't do this."

"You have to promise me something." She nodded.

"Anything," she said.

"Leave Gotham."

"What? And go where?"

"Anywhere. Everywhere. Anywhere that isn't here. The Batman won't be able to protect you, and the cops will be looking for you. There'll always be some who'll blame you.."

"I can't leave," she whispered, thinking of Crane.

"You said 'anything'. You need to leave." She looked at his eyes, solemn and serious.

"I- I can't. I have Cr- I have friends here. I can't leave. I _can't_." Her eyes were full of tears and she could feel her body shaking.

"You'll _die _here," he rasped, trying to convince her.

She realised he was right, but couldn't say it. Instead she nodded slowly. She'd find a way back to Crane. "I'll go. But please, don't do this. You don't deserve to be blamed for this."

"Neither does Dent. I'll help you get as far away as I can."

He climbed onto the bike and Jenny followed. She looked at Gordon, who was staring at them incredulously. "I'm sorry," she told him.

He locked eyes with her. "I don't think you're a bad person, Jennifer. Wrong place at the wrong time perhaps.." She didn't know what to say to that. She wrapped her arms around Batman's stomach as he started the bike and sped away from the approaching sirens.

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Thus concludes Part One of this tale ;) And our dynamic threesome are scattered. Crane in Blackgate, Joseph in Arkham and Jenny on the run. Oh how my baby has grown :3

I'm going to start Part Two as a separate story I think, so when I've uploaded the first chapter of that I'll the title as a new chapter on here so you guys get the update :) Thank you so much for reading, and please review!

**TC Stark: **Thanks for the review :D Haha, my updates are going to slow down from next week, so I'm trying to give you guys as much story as I can before that happens :) I'd love to be in Jenny's position, hanging out with both Crane and the Joker 3 I love Edward, but I wanted something to push Jenny further away from what the Joker was doing, and that seemed to work. Scarecrow is currently trying to turn Crane against Jenny, and Jenny isn't getting any closer to getting Crane out, but we'll be seeing more of him in Part Two ;) At this point I definitely think only Crane can repair her.


	28. Chapter 28 Part Two

Here it is, the first chapter of Part Two. I really hope you like it :) and please, please, please review when you've finished this story. Let me know what you like, what you don't like, and what you'd like to see happen between Jenny and the other characters. Thanks so much :)

** s/8541097/1/Deshi-Basara**

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**TC Stark: **Haha thank you! The Joker definitely still feels possessive of Jenny, on a deep level. He feels responsible for her transformation and chalks it up to one more person who's realised what the world is really like, and he feels like that's because of him. Bless him. And haha, that's exactly what I was aiming for :D An eight year gap, with everyone changing because of what happened. It's what I've been getting to, so I'm really glad that that's what you'd want to see :) I hope you enjoy Deshi Basara, and thanks for sticking with this :D


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